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Post by safeandsound on Aug 2, 2019 15:15:12 GMT -8
May 27, 1990
Michael Levin stars in "The Tempest." His biggest obstacle was line memorization. Out of panic, he worked hard in New York and came to the first reading with all his lines down. The role of Prospero fascinates Levin. "People say there's some of Shakespeare himself in Prospero. Part of his brilliance is Shakespeare reaches so deep, his plays are still modern. We've learned things are not in our control in this world. And that power is double-edged. Someone says to Prospero, 'You have one day to solve all your problems and set your life right. Avoid it and you'll regret it.'”
"And to achieve his ends, Prospero must give up his power. He must accept death. 'The Tempest' is very sad; you laugh and cry at the same time." A native of Minneapolis, Levin says Pittsburgh reminds him of his hometown. His son went to Carnegie Mellon for a degree in architecture. "To leave New York is an eye-opener and a pleasure. When I came through the Fort Pitt Tunnel, I couldn't believe it. It was stunning."
Overshadowed by his 13 years of work in the soap opera "Ryan's Hope" as Jack Fenelli. "I had never done or seen a soap." recalls Levin. "I never cared about them. They made me sign a three-year rather than two-year contract I had no intention of staying. Famous last words," he says, grinning. Despite having done Shakespeare with Jessica Tandy and Zoe Caldwell at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis in its first season and having worked on the Broadway production of Peter Shaffer's "The Royal Hunt of the Sun" with Christopher Plummer. Levin says "Ryan's Hope" was fun at first. "It was the only show with ethnic characters as leads. The creators put themselves out on a limb to get their own show and they took risks. It was very exciting and very successful. The other soaps looked over their shoulder at us." So despite glamour on the stage, Levin found his notoriety in soaps. "Eight months into the show, I was doing interviews and there were all these stories. I thought 'What the hell's going on here?' Then you realize it isn't Shakespeare and you settle in." Thirteen years of steady income and work was hard to walk away from. "It's the only steady job in New York for actors. I didn't have the courage to leave - or I had the sense to stay. It was a mistake career-wise because all you did was tread water.”
"There were no risks, no challenge. It's terribly comfortable. I thought it was time to go after the third year, but they offered more money. And how could I leave with a wife and two children.”
Freed up when the show was canceled in January 1989, Levin went to Hollywood to find work in television. He didn't succeed, so he came back to New York and now does off-Broadway shows and TV here and there. That's the way it'll be unless I go on another soap opera." When the Shakespeare Festival called, Levin had not done Shakespeare in years. How did he feel? "It was scary but very exciting. I was as excited as I had been in at least 10 years. Doing Shakespeare is the greatest challenge anyone can do. To do contemporary plays is the most satisfying, but Shakespeare is the hardest"
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Post by safeandsound on Aug 2, 2019 15:16:12 GMT -8
I didn't realize that after RH ended, Michael Levin did try to find work in Hollywood. It sounded like he gave it a year. While some RH actors have found work quickly, I think most need to give it longer than 1 year.
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