While most professional actors tend to play one character in an ensemble of many cast members, some are able to perform shows entirely by him or herself. With no director, no backstage crew, no light operators or fellow cast members, that actor can interpret a work solely, collaborating only with the script.
Bedford Winery in Los Alamos is producing just such a show starring East Coast actor Randy Kovitz. Over Memorial Day weekend, Kovitz will perform his rendition of Underneath the Lintel by Glen Berger, which follows the story of a librarian who receives a book returned more than 100 years overdue. The character seeks more information about the dusty tome, wherever it may lead him.
“It is an amazing piece of writing that takes the audience and the actor on a wild ride,” Kovitz said. “It’s a very satisfying evening for the audience and the actors.”
This won’t be Kovitz’s first performance at Bedford Winery; he was one of the original Bedford Thompson players, back when the winery was co-owned. He also played the recurring detective character Pinot Noir in the winery’s annual W.I.N.O. radio show performance. Like in the radio show, Kovitz will be performing in Bedford Winery’s courtyard.
“There is a beautiful patio there, and at 7 the lights will dim and this strange guy will come out with a suitcase and take the audience on a journey,” he said. “There are a lot of laughs in this show because the character is kind of wacky.”
The show brims with humor, but there is much more to it than just laughs, Kovitz explained. The main character becomes obsessed with learning more about the person who returned the book in question, and examines his own ability to accept something as unlikely as a miracle.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about this; it just haunted me, the story, and it really touched me in a deep way,” he said. “The other thing I think is important is it scared me, and I didn’t think I could do it, remember it all, but it turned out I could.”
Kovitz had the privilege to see the play performed by its author, Glen Berger, who was actually the understudy when the play was first produced, Kovitz explained. Being able to hear the author perform the piece had an impact on Kovitz, inspiring him to take on the play and perform it.
“I got the luxury of seeing this piece kind of from the original source,” he said. “I saw the audience around me when I saw it done, and I felt the audience experience because I was a part of it, and you don’t experience that usually as an actor.”
With no more than a few props, a Dutch accent, and an audience, Kovitz will spin a story that takes its character around the world in search of the truth. Bedford Winery owner Stephan Bedford is excited about the show, which will be preceded by a simple supper that he and his culinary team will produce. It will be served in the winery’s courtyard as dusk settles.
“Telling that story and using the very few props … how it kind of unfolds, and how the character really expresses himself from bemusement to wonder, and even anguish—it’s almost like an intimate conversation,” Bedford said.
Kovitz has been performing the play for months, which is plenty of time to get to know a character, but he has also been involved with other projects. He not only teaches acting at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in Pittsburgh, but he’s also constantly performing in stage productions, television, and film.
“As an actor, you have to do a lot of different things to make a living,” he said. “It’s interesting, I don’t usually do things in repertory, I usually have a few weeks or a month to get into it, but when you do a character repeatedly, you get to know [him]. The clothes help, the accent helps; anything you can do to get the character into your bones, it transforms you.”
Arts Editor Joe Payne feels transformed. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in May 22-29, 2014.