All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode: Jon Bernthal and Jessica Hecht Star in 'Dog Day Afternoon'

Date: April 9, 2026
Guests: Jon Bernthal, Jessica Hecht
Host: Alison Stewart

Episode Overview

In this lively and thoughtful episode, Alison Stewart sits down with Jon Bernthal and Jessica Hecht, stars of the new Broadway adaptation of Dog Day Afternoon, currently running at the August Wilson Theatre. The conversation dives into the enduring legacy of the iconic 1970s film, the challenges and rewards of bringing it to the stage, and the resonant themes of love, desperation, gender, and New York’s indomitable spirit. The episode explores the creative process, character dynamics, and how the play speaks to contemporary issues in 2026.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rethinking a Classic

• Dog Day Afternoon is a stage adaptation of Sidney Lumet’s 1975 film, itself based on real events.
• Jon Bernthal (Sonny): Emphasizes the story as a love story at its core, not just a crime drama.
  • “I really think that at the kernel of this play... it really is about the lengths that we'll go to for love.” [03:04]
• Jessica Hecht (Colleen): Inspired by the original film's freedom and the nuanced performances of its actors, striving to bring that spirit to the stage.
  • “The nuance of what they could do with those parts and the freedom that [the director] allowed was really inspirational.” [03:57]

2. Stepping onto Broadway

• Bernthal describes the theater as transformative, speaking about his early training in Russia and the theatre’s sacredness:
  • “I love that there’s nowhere to hide. I love how dangerous it is. I love the communication with the audience. I love that we can really hold a mirror to society.” [05:08]
  • He reflects on how the show communicates both progress and stasis since the 1970s.
• Hecht shares that language and the way people speak are essential for her to connect with a role:
  • "I think the truth of acting for me has to do with the way people talk…” [06:24]

3. Character Backstory & Dynamics

• Colleen’s Life Before the Robbery (Jessica Hecht) [07:25]:
  • Colleen cares for her cat and bird; she’s organized, customer-focused, yet frustrated by her job’s limitations.
• Sonny’s Mindset Pre-Robbery (Jon Bernthal) [08:10]:
  • Sees Sonny as detail-oriented but recognizes his desperation and heartbreak, acting out of grand love for Leon, his partner.
  • "He's heartbroken. And I believe that love can cause the most grandest [things], and I think that's what this is." [08:43]
• The Tricky Relationship:
  • Colleen sees Sonny as cavalier, charming, possibly a Robin Hood figure, but is disappointed by his lack of planning.
  • Sonny admires Colleen’s strength and emotional steadiness, seeing her as the opposite of himself—someone who regulates their emotions, maybe too much.
• On Sonny’s Veteran Status:
  • Bernthal: “One of the real joys for me in this piece is... to see this sort of brand of love. And that a man can be a soldier... a friend... act with passion... and have any kind of love under the sun.” [12:06]

4. Stagecraft & Set Design (by David Korins) [13:20]

• The set rotates between the bank interior and the exterior street, providing a dynamic, immersive experience.
  • Hecht: "You're immersed in this... as it moved, you really feel this kind of transformative power... it's like a ride." [13:44]
  • Bernthal jokes about the physicality: "It throws you for a ride." [14:55]

5. Nostalgia and Audience Interaction

• Costumes, music, and writing evoke the gritty, expressive feel of 1970s New York [15:11].
• The "Attica!" chant breaks the fourth wall, involving the audience in call-and-response, echoing the original film’s iconic protest scene.
  • Hecht: “You go, it's why you do plays... you just experience what theater was built on…” [16:40]
  • Bernthal: “It's a giddy moment of joy... it's got this beautiful, both... sacredness but at the same time... irreverence and originality." [17:42]

6. Creative Collaborations & Ensemble Work

• Bernthal and Eben Moss-Bacharach (Sal) have a long-standing friendship and professional history, deepening their on-stage chemistry [19:27].
• Hecht addresses the challenge of managing Colleen’s interactions with the unstable Sal, underscoring the importance of understanding and empathy.

7. Thematic Resonance in 2026

• The play explores gender, sexuality, mass incarceration, and who gets forgotten in society—issues that remain deeply relevant.
  • Hecht: “We sadly have not moved forward as much as any historian would have hoped... it's just full of a kind of ritualized abandon... we need to have empathy for people.” [25:16]
  • Bernthal: "It's so much about the haves and the have-nots, about the forgotten... We've traveled so far and we haven't gone anywhere.” [26:20]

8. Creative Process & Adaptation

• The script underwent constant revisions; fluidity, mutual trust, and strong directorial guidance (from Rupert Goold) were key to adjusting lines and scenes [27:56].
  • Hecht: "To be really fluid on stage requires tremendous skill and a kind of lack of ego... you have to be in collaboration actually with your scene partner."

9. Audience Impact and New York’s Spirit

• Many attendees are new to theater, giving the production a unique energy; audible audience reactions underscore the story’s power [29:23].
  • Bernthal: "What hits me, every single night, you can hear a palpable gasp in the audience when Sonny says he's a homosexual..."
• Hecht: "We really care about each other, that we would go, we'd fall on a sword... this is what we're made of, man." [30:37]
• Bernthal hopes audiences leave thinking about community, love, and the courage to fight for both [31:07].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jon Bernthal on the play’s essence:
  "At its core, you know, it really is a love story, and it really is about the lengths that we'll go to for love. ...A real story about real people." [03:04]
• Jessica Hecht on acting:
  "I think the truth of acting for me has to do with the way people talk... where the language is a kind of poetry. And I can figure that out and find a real person who speaks that way." [06:24]
• On the legendary “Attica!” moment:
  "You just experience what theater was built on, and the idea that there could be call and response within a piece... and somebody... is suddenly screaming, Attica is just an awesome accomplishment." —Jessica Hecht [16:40]
  "It's a giddy moment of joy, like, we did it." —Jon Bernthal [17:46]

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:24 | Reflections on seeing the original film | | 04:44 | Bernthal on his first Broadway experience and training | | 06:22 | Hecht discusses what excites her about a role | | 07:25 | Imagining characters’ lives before the robbery | | 08:10 | Sonny’s motivations and emotional state | | 09:25 | Sonny and Colleen’s tricky rapport | | 11:52 | Sonny as a veteran and themes of masculinity | | 13:20 | Set design’s effect on performance | | 15:11 | 1970s era inspiration, audience inclusivity and interaction | | 16:21 | The “Attica!” moment and breaking the fourth wall | | 19:27 | Bernthal & Bacharach’s friendship and on-stage dynamic | | 20:59 | Hecht on Colleen’s approach to Sal and fear | | 22:34 | Bernthal on Sonny and Sal’s fraught backstory | | 24:52 | Contemporary relevance: gender, sexuality, activism | | 26:20 | Forgotten New Yorkers, societal progress (or lack thereof) | | 27:56 | Navigating script adjustments and collaboration | | 29:23 | Audience reactions and the play’s independence from the film | | 30:37 | What the play captures about New York | | 31:07 | Bernthal on audience takeaways |

Conclusion

This episode offers a rich, inside look at Dog Day Afternoon on Broadway through the eyes of its passionate stars. Bernthal and Hecht discuss not just the mechanics of theater and adaptation, but the profound human stories woven into their performances. Their chemistry and candor, combined with Stewart’s sharp, empathetic facilitation, make this conversation a must-listen for fans of theater, New York culture, and timeless stories about love, struggle, and community.