'The Paris Letter' Opens on Friday at the Lonny Chapman Theatre

The Group Repertory Theatre (GRT) presents Jon Robin Baitz' "The Paris Letter," which opens on Friday. The play will run from July 20 to Sept. 2 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in the NoHo Arts District. 

This production is only the second time that rights for a full run of the play have been granted in Los Angeles since it opened at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2004. 

Jules Aaron is the director, Patrick Burke is the producer, and Larry Eisenberg, GRT's co-artistic director, is the lead.

The play centers around Sandy Sonnenberg (played by Eisenberg), a man living a privileged life, whose secret gay affairs are buried until he gets entangled in a disastrous financial scheme which cuts the thread that ties him to his conventional life.

Eisenberg said that the material is somewhat of a departure from the usual bill of fare that the Group Rep produces at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, and the play contains a lengthy scene involving full frontal nudity.

Aaron was a mentor to Larry Eisenberg during his time at CalArts, and they have stayed in touch over the years.

Patch asked Eisenberg and Aaron about "The Paris Letter" and about their working relationship.

"After CalArts, I assisted Jules with an original play called 'Tennis Anyone' at the Odyssey," Eisenberg said. "That was really the last time we worked together. Probably 1999." 

Eisenberg said he was doing work with the International City Theatre in Long Beach as an actor, and that's where he started running into Aaron again, who was working with them as a director.

After reconnecting, Eisenberg and Aaron started meeting occasionally for breakfast. "He'd talk about his projects and I'd talk about mine," Eisenberg said. This was about the time when Eisenberg became co-artistic director at Group Rep.

"I remember one morning I was joking around and asked Jules what it would take to get him to direct a waiver production for the AEA 99-seat plan, $9 a performance." Eisenberg said. "He laughed and said it would have to be a play that he loved very much. I asked him if there was anything that fit that bill. And a couple of days later he sent me a copy of The Paris Letter."

Eisenberg admitted he never heard of The Paris Letter before this.

"It’s a very special, important play. And after reading it, I immediately decided to put it into our schedule." Eisenberg said. "Jules had actually seen both the LA and New York productions, and loved it so much he was willing to do it virtually for free."

Eisenberg said their collaboration is working out very well and that they've both become big Robbie Baitz fans. 

"I wouldn’t be surprised if in two years when rights to “Other Desert Cities” becomes available, we'll be doing it here at the GRT." Eisenberg said. "Also, please don’t mention this to Jules, but I’m planning on conning him into directing me in a one-man show of "Krapp’s Last Tape" as the first act, and Eugene O’Neil’s “Huey” as the second!"

Although the play has full frontal nudity, Eisenberg doesn't think that The Paris Letter is too controversial for GRT audiences. "I'm thinking, gradually our audience will expand; meaning the ones we have broaden their tastes and interests in theatre," Eisenberg explained, "and the ones out there that haven't been coming to us, start... we want to start attracting a younger, hipper audience."

"Also, in some ways it doesn’t matter. Good work will attract its audience," Eisenberg said.

Aaron told Patch his next project is a workshop of a new Broadway musical called “I Will, I Can,” inspired by the life of Sammy Davis Jr. 

"I am writing the book and we will workshop it in the early Fall in New York, and we'll probably take it out of town to open at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.," Aaron said.

Eisenberg described the Sonnenberg character he plays, as a man who is submerged in his natural impulses throughout his lifetime. 

"He feels shame and has been crippled by responsibility.  Responsibility to the people he loves and to the clients he serves," Eisenberg said. "and when the financial floor is blown away from under his clients, he feels personally responsible, and cannot live with that shame and guilt." (Eisenberg's character runs an investment company.)

Eisenberg said GRT's production of The Paris Letter includes "fifteen scenes taking place in nine locations over a period of 40 years." 

"It's very cinematic and I expect at the Kirk Douglas or in New York they were able to roll in and roll out set pieces as needed," Eisenberg said. "In this much smaller 99-seat theatre, Jules has had to be a little more inventive to allow us to flow from one scene into the next!"

Aaron said he is quite impressed with the GRT actors.

"I feel I have an excellent cast from the members of Group Rep," Aaron said. "I can honestly say that were the casting open to all actors in the LA area, I could not find better actors for the show."

Patch asked Aaron about the nudity in the play.

"I think that using nudity in the show has to be done with delicacy, and the actors auditioning for the parts requiring nudity were advised of this before auditions," Aaron said.

"And it’s my policy when doing shows that have nudity, like this one and Equus, that the actors audition and rehearse in underwear.  It is only under stage lights that they finally do the nudity," Aaron said. 

Aaron offered his idea about the reason for the nudity in The Paris Letter: "I feel that in a play about living with one’s sexuality, whether straight or gay, the nudity reinforces the quandary of the characters, both physically and emotionally."  

Eisenberg also gave his thoughts about the play's nudity.

"Storywise, you could play that scene in underwear. The script does not specifically say they are naked, but so much of this play is about being open and fearless, so to skirt around it would be very chicken-shit," Eisenberg said. "It would also betray the message and heart of the story, which tells us: Do not hide who you really are."

The Paris Letter
Contains nudity, mature audiences only. 
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm.  Sundays at 2pm.  July 20 – Sept. 2. 
Talkbacks: August 5 & August 19.                         
Tickets:  $15 - $22.   Ladies Night Fridays 1/2 price tickets. 

Buy tickets/info:  www.thegrouprep.com or 818-763-5990. 
Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood 91601.