An Interview with Nicholas Viselli, Director of Theater Breaking Through Barriers Production of ‘I Ought to Be in Pictures’ by Neil Simon
In an insightful conversation with Nicholas Viselli, the artistic director of Theater Breaking Through Barriers (TBTB), we delved into the intricacies of directing, inclusivity in theater, and his revival of Neil Simon’s “I Ought to Be in Pictures.” TBTB, an Off-Broadway theater company based in New York City, is renowned for its commitment to advancing the work of performers, writers, and directors with disabilities. Founded in 1979 and transformed in 2008 to embrace artists across all disabilities, TBTB stands as a beacon of diversity and creativity in the arts community. Nicholas Viselli, having been with TBTB since 1997, has contributed profoundly as an actor, director, and administrator, and his direction of the acclaimed predictions of “Brech on Brecht,” last year “God of Carnage” and this production has only solidified the company’s reputation as a necessary theatre company in New York.
Q: What drew you to direct Neil Simon’s “I Ought to Be in Pictures”?
A: First and foremost, I have always been a huge fan of Mr. Simon’s work. His iconic style of writing coupled with his mastery of crafting solid, well-made plays has always been incredibly appealing to me. The funny thing is that although he is one of our country’s most prolific playwrights (32 plays in total), most people only identify him by only a small handful of his works, such as “The Odd Couple” or “Plaza Suite” (revived on Broadway in 2022, starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker). But it is only when you explore his lesser-known plays that you realize his true brilliance as a storyteller. “I Ought To Be In Pictures” is generally considered to be one of his lesser-known works. Most people forget that it ran on Broadway in 1980 for over 320 performances and garnered a Tony Award for Dinah Manoff. Most people also don’t know that of all his 32 plays, (and according to the representatives of his estate) this play was one of his personal favorites (he dedicated it to his mother and father). Finally, this wonderful play has not been produced in New York City since its Broadway run over 44 years ago. So, as New York City’s only Off-Broadway theater company dedicated to celebrating and advancing the work of professional artists with disabilities, we are deeply honored to revive this masterwork and share it with New York audiences.
Q: Could you tell us more about the significance of bringing this rarely produced Neil Simon comedy to the stage?
A: When a theater company has the opportunity to premiere a new play by an established and prominent playwright, it is always an important and exciting event for that organization. But when a company rediscovers a play by an acclaimed playwright — especially a previously established and award-winning work like “I Ought To Be In Pictures,” it is like premiering a new play all over again. It is fascinating to me that although Neil Simon has long been established as one of America’s most popular and successful playwrights (one of our Broadway theaters is named after him), his plays are rarely produced in the city in which he was born and where most of his plays were set. What a shame. Perhaps a reason for this is the belief that Mr. Simon’s work is dated and no longer relevant to our times. It is certainly true that Mr. Simon wrote for his time and his generation, as did Shakespeare, Chekhov, Ibsen, and all other great artists before him. By this standard, all artists are dated. But when an artist is able to dive deeper and plumb the depths of the human condition, their resulting work transcends time and has something to offer all future generations. Such is the case with the plays of Neil Simon. While we could have presented one of his more popular plays to showcase his brilliance, it is far more exciting to us to give our audiences a fresh production of an under-rated masterwork, which has not been revived in New York City in over 40 years. Most significantly, I believe that this new generation of New York audiences needs to rediscover the brilliance of Neil Simon. Of all our modern American playwrights, I don’t believe anyone was able to capture the spirit and rhythm of New York City better than Neil Simon. All of his plays crackle with the energy of this city (including the plays that aren’t set here).
Q: Given the unique mission of Theater Breaking Through Barriers (TBTB), how does this production align with the company’s goals and values?
A: It has always been TBTB’s overarching goal to level the playing field by integrating both disabled and non-disabled artists together in the creation of our work. By doing this, the focus shifts from the disability of our artists to the art itself. While it is always important to create mainstream opportunities for disabled artists to exercise their talents, we believe it is even more important to normalize the human characteristic of disability so that our community will empathize with the humanity of our artists rather than pity or stigmatize them for having a disability. The other significant method we use to shift the focus off of disability is to produce work that has little or nothing to do with disability. While we certainly believe that plays that are about disability or written for disabled characters are incredibly important and necessary, we also believe that plays that have nothing to do with disability but are cast with performers with disabilities truly demonstrate the power and talent of our artists. It also proves that disability only really matters as much as we, the art makers, want it to matter. In most cases, when disability is not a central focus of the story, audiences may see a disabled artist onstage, but (if we’re doing our jobs correctly), the audience becomes drawn into the story and disability virtually disappears. The reason we chose to produce “I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES” is because it is a strong story with three very strong characters. The character of Libby is written to be a very strong, determined young woman who sets her sights on a goal and plunges forward. She travels across the country to meet her estranged father for the first time in 16 years. Although Neil Simon did not write Libby to be played by an actor with a disability, we felt that by casting a visibly disabled artist to play the role, it not only proves our point that disability only matters as much as WE want it to matter, but it also offers an extremely positive under-message to our audience: Having a disability does not prevent someone from pressing forward and achieving their dreams. So, in the end, we not only have the opportunity to present a brilliant play by one of our country’s most beloved playwrights, but we also have the chance to demonstrate our core mission points by proving that disability does not diminish the quality, integrity, or value of the human spirit.
Q: In what ways do you approach directing a play with characters dealing with complex family dynamics, such as those in “I Ought to Be in Pictures”?
A: As with any play, so much of the dynamics established between characters — be it family dynamics, friend or co-worker dynamics, or total stranger dynamics — are developed by the actors themselves and hashed out in the rehearsal room. This is an area where our art form is truly collaborative. While the playwright has mapped out the dynamics between each character, it is up to the actors to find the best ways — based on their talents and live experiences — to draw out the relationships between characters. Usually, we spend a good deal of time discussing the relationships and then working together to figure out ways to establish or reveal them onstage. In the case of “I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES,” we learn pretty much from the outset, that Libby and Herb are very much cut from the same cloth. Even though Libby never knew her father, they both have very similar personalities. Through the course of the play we see the hole left in each of their lives by not knowing each other. Gradually, we see the holes begin to fill. What is truly joyful about this play is the incredible character arcs that occur within the play’s timeframe, which is just over two weeks.
Q: The play deals with themes of parenthood and familial relationships. How do you think these themes resonate with audiences today?
A: The main reason we chose to bring this play back to the stage was because — simply stated — the play underscores how much we, as human beings, NEED each other. We currently live in a time of great divisiveness both politically and socially. Technology and social media, while extremely valuable and important in our world, has supplanted itself as a substitute for live, interpersonal contact. The tool of our time, which was invented to reduce work and allow us to spend more time together, has done the opposite. There are now two generations who spend more time sitting alone in front of a device than sharing time in person with family and friends. Reality has become distorted and what really matters has been replaced with what virtually matters. If the true mission of theater is to explore and reveal the human condition, allowing us to think, feel, empathize, and reflect, then it is abundantly clear that our work is more important than ever before. This play demonstrates the importance of each other in our lives. It reveals the huge gaps that are left when we are not present — and it also reveals the tremendous healing power of when we have the opportunity to share and experience each other. In the case of this play, we explore the dynamics of parent and child — but the same could be said of any significant relationship.
Q: Could you elaborate on the challenges and rewards of working with an ensemble cast like the one in “I Ought to Be in Pictures”?
A: One of the true joys of working with a small cast like the one in “I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES” is the fact that each of the characters are inter-connected and demonstrate an important impact on each other. Unlike a larger play, where you might have multiple storylines, which may or may not intersect, the overall dynamic of this play rests on the relationships of the ensemble (in this case, a triad). Because this is a smaller show, we are able to experience very intimately the growth and impact each character has on each other. It’s always great fun to work with a smaller company because you can really feel a growth and bonding from each artist. At the same time, when there are challenges or differences of opinion, this also becomes magnified — but tension, like joy, is experienced by the entire ensemble and it becomes everyone’s responsibility to work through it. Once again, it is the responsibility of the entire collective which determines whether or not the collaboration is successful. It usually involves patience, compromise, and a willingness to remain open and responsive to each other.
Q: As someone deeply involved in advocating for performers, writers, and directors with disabilities, how do you ensure inclusivity and accessibility in your productions?
A: Because Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are baked into our company’s mission, these factors remain key considerations in every project we undertake. When TBTB was created in 1979, our founder, Ike Schambelan, designed the company to integrate blind, low-vision, and sighted actors together. He did this because he wanted the emphasis to be on the art we create and not on the disability of the artists. While there is certainly room in our profession to create art exclusively by, for, and about a particular race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability, Ike believed that the only way to level the playing field was to demonstrate the quality of the artists themselves, despite their abilities or disabilities. When we expanded our mission in 2008 to include artists of all abilities and disabilities, the basic premise to focus on art over disability remained intact. Of course, we feel it is very important to provide opportunities for artists with disabilities to demonstrate their talents, but if we are to exist on a professional level in a mainstream marketplace we must prove that disability is not, nor should it ever be considered, a factor in creating top-quality art. More importantly, if we wish to alter the misperceptions surrounding disability, we must discover ways to make non-disabled mainstream audiences empathize and associate with the characters portrayed in our plays — whether those characters are disabled or not! If an audience member can see beyond the disability, then they identify with the humanity and disability is reduced to one characteristic and is no longer a cause for fear or pity. Because disability is the only diversity that exists in all other diversities, we believe our work lives at the intersection of all other diversities. Because of this, it becomes even more important for us to reach out to artists from all corners of our community — People of all ages, races, religions, genders, and sexual orientations. If we wish to change misperceptions surrounding disability, then it is crucial that we speak to and for everyone in our world and not just for one group.
Q: What insights or perspectives do you bring to your directing from your experiences as an actor, sound designer, and administrator?
A: I suppose the greatest tool one can possess over training and education is experience. I have worked as a professional theater artist for over 37 years and for 26 of those years I have had the great good fortune to work with TBTB as an actor, director, sound designer, and administrator. I suppose the greatest insight I could share is that working with disabled artists is honestly NO DIFFERENT than working with non-disabled artists. Every artist, whether disabled or not, brings their own skills and personal experience to the table during a show. It is their experience that truly matters. As the Producer, it is my job to make sure that every artist has what they need so they could produce their best work. Because everyone’s needs are different, whether you are disabled or not, it doesn’t really matter what is required — it’s just important that we are able to provide for them. Because I have a great deal of personal experience working with performers with disabilities, I am comfortable discussing individual needs with each artist. When I direct, I automatically consider what each artist requires and can anticipate needs beforehand. I know what to ask of the design team for each production to make sure the needs of the artists as well as our audiences are met. Of course, this doesn’t mean that every artist is the same. I learn from everyone with whom I work. And while there are always different needs and approaches, the diversity of experience allows for greater flexibility and understanding in how I work and strive to move TBTB forward.
Q: Having directed TBTB’s critically acclaimed revival productions and international tours, how do you approach balancing the traditional aspects of theater with innovative interpretations?
A: Because disability exists in all of our work, I feel that everything we do tends to buck tradition in some way. This is NOT a bad thing. In fact, it becomes extremely exciting to take a traditional play and discover new ways to share it with our audiences. We often try not to stray too far from tradition. We do this because we want our audiences to see that disability does not require that we alter the material or reshape it into something more avant-garde than how it was originally rendered. It’s not that we won’t attempt a bolder, more innovative approach, but we do not want for our audience to believe for one second that the work needed to be altered to accommodate disability. When we do add inclusive elements to our work, such as open captioning and audio descriptions at every performance, we want these elements to feel natural — as if they were carefully thought out and built naturally into each project. We don’t want audiences to feel as if they are accommodations for those few who require them.
Q: How do you see the role of Off-Broadway theater companies like TBTB in shaping the future of theater, particularly in terms of representation and diversity?
A: I feel we are living in a very unique and challenging time for theater in America. So much has happened in recent years that’s been having a startling effect on live theater, such as the eruption and reliance on social media and the big push for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic really threw things for a loop and forced a deep hard reevaluation of our need for human connection and interaction, which is the true heartbeat for live theater. On top of everything, we currently find ourselves in the middle of a very divisive and contentious time in the history of our world. All of this added together makes for an extremely complex period for Off-Broadway — and for theater in general. The main purpose of theater is to represent life in all its complex glory. Theater IS life at its rawest and purest form. In the end, I believe that theater will transform and retransform alongside the ebb and flow of the society that it represents. It is often said that the best art is generated during times of greatest trial within a society. I believe this to be true. In terms of Off-Broadway organizations like TBTB, it is my hope that our work will continue to influence artists and arts organizations and that some of what we’re doing will eventually permeate the larger and more mainstream companies. TBTB is currently celebrating our 45th season as an Off-Broadway theater. We are very pleased to finally see some positive opportunities being generated for professional artists with disabilities and we are proud to know that we had a hand in helping to affect these changes. But there is still much to be done. Until art makers can see beyond a single characteristic, such as disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, or religion and recognize the artist above all else, there will always be discrimination. Theater is an extremely powerful tool to bring about positive change in our world, and when art makers look beyond what is expected and can reveal something fresh and new, the result can be life-altering for those who experience it. It is our charge to press forward and continue to change lives one person at a time.
Q: What do you hope audiences will take away from experiencing “I Ought to Be in Pictures” at TBTB?
A: The two big things I hope audiences will take away from our production are: 1. A rediscovery and appreciation for one of our country’s most beloved playwrights, Neil Simon. I have always been a huge Neil Simon fan, and I find it strange that you rarely see a Neil Simon play presented in New York City — unless it’s a big Broadway revival with an all-star cast. Neil Simon was, in every sense of the word, a New York City playwright. His style of writing evokes the pulse and pace of the city. His comedy — a classic blend of setup/punchline, snappy comebacks, and repetition have become his calling card. But what many people fail to see at the heart of every one of his plays is a very real, very human storyline. While many people dismiss Simon’s work as “dated” and “out of step with our times”, one only needs to look a bit closer to see that beyond his words and writing style, there is also a timelessness in his themes and messages. I feel we are overdue for a Neil Simon retrospective and I hope that our production will, at the very least, remind audiences of his brilliance. 2. As with so much of TBTB’s work, I sincerely hope our audiences will walk out of the theater with a different perspective of disability than the one they had when they walked in. When Neil Simon wrote “I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES,” he didn’t consider that one day the role of Libby would be performed by an actor in a wheelchair. At the time he wrote it, I believe such a thought likely seemed unrealistic or inconceivable. Yet, our production demonstrates that the disability DOES NOT MATTER. It is NOT unrealistic to believe that a wheelchair-user could travel cross-country, hitch-hiking part of the way or that a wheelchair user could paint, plaster, lay bricks, fix an automobile or work as a relay person for a valet parking service. Our audience doesn’t question these things because the actor portraying the character is so vibrant and vivacious that the wheelchair that carries her virtually disappears. When this occurs, our audience can empathize with the actor/character’s humanity, and no longer sees the disability as a barrier between them. We believe this is how we alter perceptions and move the needle a bit closer to understanding and acceptance. In the end, our goal is always a level playing field, with the acknowledgment that we are all THE SAME. At the same time, we are ALL DIFFERENT, which also makes us all THE SAME!
Q: Could you share any memorable moments or challenges you encountered during the rehearsal process for this production?
A: The most challenging aspect of this production was time. Without question, this was our most difficult production to date. We will not get into the many complex issues we faced in bringing our production of “I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES” to life. In short, I will say that most of the concerns occurred before we even started production. By the time we were able to pull things together to move forward, we were already racing against the clock. Some of our design and production team who were initially hired had to back out during the 11th hour, leaving us to scramble to find replacements. Casting became another challenge, as we made offers to actors who kept us waiting and then passed for various reasons. By the time we began rehearsals in March, we were late out of the starting gate and had to work extremely hard, and under a great deal of pressure to move forward. But in spite of the many obstacles and uphill challenges, the ENTIRE TEAM pulled together to create a miraculous, stunning production. I am so grateful to the entire PICTURES company for their love, hard work, and passionate dedication. Theater is a collaborative art and I can’t think of a better example of successful collaboration than in our production.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring directors, especially those interested in championing diversity and inclusivity in theater?
A: To any/all aspiring directors, my advice is always to look closer. I feel the best directors are the ones who are very detail-oriented. I also feel that a good director should also know what it feels like to be directed. If you’ve never been on the other side of the footlights it’s difficult to empathize with the artists you direct. A good director needs to have a grasp on the big picture, but must also be able to zoom in to the smallest detail in every aspect of production. A director must also be a good collaborator. It is not the director’s job to tell fellow artists what to do. Rather, the director needs to be able to express a clear vision for the work so that the other artists can latch onto it and use their talents and experience to help refine their work. Finally, a good director must be bold and never completely satisfied. If the work you create looks perfect from your perspective, try tipping it to a different perspective to see if it’s still perfect. We do this all the time in our work, particularly in terms of making our work accessible to all audiences. For example, you may create a production that is visually stunning — but what if your audience cannot see the visuals? How do you create something that is equally stunning aurally? What interesting and innovative ideas can you come up with to change how audiences receive and understand the world you create onstage? When I say a director should never be completely satisfied, what I mean is that there are always new avenues to explore to enrich your work. All you need to do is start with your widest possible lens and then be able to zoom in and look closer.
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‘I Ought to be in Pictures’ is written by Niel Simon, directed by Nicholas Viselli, and produced by Theatre Breaking Through Barriers.
Now playing at Theater Row (410 West 42nds Street in NYC)All performances will be open-captioned and audio-described. For more information about Theatre Breaking Through Barriers or tickets to ‘I Ought to be in Pictures,’ Please visit tbtb.org.
