Chris Hanna, Gino Dilorio, Nancy Bleemer, Keith Stava
This past Friday was Opening Night for Centennial Casting. It was filled with excitement; there was a reception with food and drinks, cameras capturing all the events from the big night, and plenty of people dressed up looking their best. This particular night was a treat for Virginia Stage Company because the playwrights of Centennial Casting traveled from New York to see the opening of their play. I had the privilege to interview Gino DiIorio and Nancy Bleemer for the VSC blog, exclusively for our viewers.
Centennial Casting offers a story with a very interesting predicament; I was curious how Gino and Nancy came up with the story behind their play. Gino shared, “When I was still acting, I once looked through the yellow pages and saw a place called ‘Centennial Casting.’ Usually, casting agents are listed in the professional trades and I had never heard of it before. I realized that this was a metal casting place. Then I wondered if there was an actor stupid enough to think it was a theatrical casting agency. So that was the hook.” Nancy added, “We had that idea for a while and we kicked it around but it never went anywhere. Finally, Gino sat down and wrote the first page. He handed it to me and I took it from there.”
Nancy and Gino now had the idea and the drive to write the play. Next was investing their time. I wondered how much time it took to write a play. According to Nancy, “We had the first draft in about four months. Then we worked on it, did rewrites and had a few readings of the script all over the course of four years.”
Having spent four years with this play, I knew there were moments in the script that were special to Gino and Nancy. I hoped they would share one of those moments with us. Nancy eagerly shared, “I remember when I was reading one of the scenes that Gino had just written. He handed me the part of Edie’s audition scene. When I came to Vinnie’s line ‘This film is very independent, it’s got a mind of it’s own, this film,’ I burst into laughter. I still do, every time I hear it!” Then Gino shared, ” I like, ‘Thanks for coming in.’ It might not be the funniest line, but I like that Vinnie is trying so hard because he thinks he has to be someone else for Edie to fall in love with him.”
Being an aspiring playwright myself, I wanted to get some advice. What advice would you give our viewers?
Gino said, “Of course you have to keep working at it, you have to write a lot. But maybe what’s more important is that you’re curious about people and the world. You ask a lot of questions of things; of what you see, of what you’re experiencing. Ultimately, that curiosity is what keeps you writing. It’s probably also what keeps you alive!”
Nancy added, “Write for yourself, not for any one audience. And also, I think being an actor greatly informed my work and my ability to hear a play, imagine the words of a play as a playwright.”
Gino and Nancy were very sweet to take time to talk with me. Before I said goodbye, I wanted to know where I could look forward to seeing them next. Gino was excited to say, “My play Apostasy is going to be published by Samuel French. New Jersey Rep is going to produce a new piece called Dead Ringer next fall. And I’m working on a new piece dealing with race and reconciliation called Reparation. Hopefully, that will get a reading in a few months. Nancy boasted, “My work is currently performed everyday by three and four year old children in a preschool in Manhattan where I teach. This week we had a run of my original musical adaptation of ‘Johnny Appleseed.’ It was awesome.”
Everyone here at VSC wishes both of you the very best!
Top:
Chris and Gino talking with one of our VSC Board Members at the reception
Bottom:
Nancy and James Saba, who plays Carmine, talking at the reception after the show.
Even Tina Fabrique, who portrays Ella, could not hold in her excitement from Opening Night!
