Podcast Summary:

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Episode: William Jackson Harper's Tony-Nominated Performance in 'Uncle Vanya'
Air Date: May 30, 2024
Host: Kusha Navadar (filling in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: William Jackson Harper

Episode Overview

This episode explores William Jackson Harper's Tony-nominated turn as Astrov in the current Lincoln Center Theatre production of Uncle Vanya. The conversation brings listeners behind the scenes of Chekhov’s timeless drama, offering insight into the production’s modern American adaptation, Harper’s approach to his character, and the emotional and practical realities of performing the play. The discussion also delves into the accessibility of Chekhov’s work, the experience of ensemble theater, and the discoveries Harper has made on stage and in his own career.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Timeless, Shapeshifting Nature of Chekhov

• Plot and Emotional Themes

  • Harper reflects on the “amorphous” plot of Uncle Vanya, focused on love, grief, and unrealized dreams rather than a tightly wound central story.
    • “It basically deals with this man and his niece who live on a farm with his mom and the professor and his new young wife that comes to live with them...and then it takes off in all kinds of directions after that.” (William Jackson Harper, 02:57)

• Connecting With Chekhov Over Time

  • Harper describes how studying Chekhov in his twenties vs. performing it in his forties has changed his perspective and deepened his empathy for the characters’ existential struggles.
    • “There's something about the unrequited love, the path not taken, all of that stuff that hits differently now... One of the things I keep thinking about with this play is how much of my life is something I do because I love it and how much...is something I do because it's what I've always done at this point.” (William Jackson Harper, 04:09)

Making Chekhov Accessible and American

• The Adaptation by Heidi Schreck

  • Host and guest agree this version feels notably accessible and relatable, in part due to Schreck’s Americanized adaptation, grounding the play's class dynamics in a way that resonates for American audiences.
    • “This version feels really American... there's sort of the...issue of class in this version that we kind of navigate in a way that feels a little bit more familiar to us.” (William Jackson Harper, 05:59)

• Removing Barriers to Relatability

  • Schreck and the cast focused on paring down elements (like night watchmen) that felt less essential, aiming to center the relationships and the household dynamics.
    • “We talked about removing some of those things that don't really contribute directly to the story, just to make sure that we're focused on the relationships.” (William Jackson Harper, 07:06)

• Rural American Feel

  • Harper notes the setting feels like “rural New England,” and describes how the rural context, like Astrov’s struggle as an overstretched country doctor, anchors the piece.
    • “There is a sort of sense of things have taken a turn for the worse and society's not quite what it used to be. You have these people living...off the grid a bit...” (William Jackson Harper, 08:46)

Character Development & Research

• Researching Astrov’s Rural Doctor

  • Harper drew inspiration from real-life stories, including a Texas doctor’s article and the Abraham Verghese memoir My Own Country, to embody Astrov’s sense of depletion and responsibility.
    • “[Verghese] was the specialist that knows about [AIDS in rural communities] and he was stretched really thin. And it's a really informative book and it really helped...wrap my mind around what it is to be the only person that knows what's going on somewhere...” (William Jackson Harper, 10:35)

• Incorporating Exhaustion

  • The character’s exhaustion is woven in from the play’s opening, partly as a product of Astrov’s unplanned permanence in the countryside and the daily grind of rural medical work.
    • “...This was not supposed to be the final stop. I was going to come out here, do this rural thing for a while, earn some money...and then go back. But I wound up staying here for various reasons.” (William Jackson Harper, 12:26)

Performance Choices & Onstage Dynamics

• Playing Drunk on Stage

  • Harper reflects on the delicate balance between realism and connection, ultimately grounding the scene in mischief, emotional rawness, and playful rapport with his scene partner.
    • “There's something about the complete word vomit that my character has in that scene, which does a lot of the work for me...whenever you have had a couple, there is a different swagger, there is a different way of moving. And you're mischievous...” (William Jackson Harper, 13:52)

• Working with Alison Pill (Sonya)

  • Harper praises Pill’s emotional availability and intelligence, noting how their mutual responsiveness elevates each performance.
    • “Allyson is a treasure. She's so emotionally available, open, live...it's really easy to just let it all out with her because it feels safe.” (William Jackson Harper, 16:20)

• Staying Present

  • Emphasizes the importance of listening and being open to new moments, recalibrating the performance nightly as the cast fine-tunes their ensemble work.
    • “Just staying, you know, just listening, that's the biggest thing...We're calibrating still...We're always kind of calibrating and recalibrating things from night to night...” (William Jackson Harper, 17:19)

The Physicality & Materiality of Stage

• Dealing with Water on Stage
  • A memorable moment features the stage being soaked, adding realistic stakes and grounding the action for both actors and audience.
    • “I honestly just don't even think about it. It's just like, that's the reality of the world...You play with it like it's the thing that it is.” (William Jackson Harper, 18:35)
  • On its emotional effect:
    • “If there is any effect of that sort...I come out on stage, candles have been rained out. There's bottles of wine...soaking wet. There's all these medications in a basket that are just, you know, damp...now it's a real thing.” (William Jackson Harper, 19:44)

Audience Reaction, Humor, and Vulnerability

• Surprising Laughter

  • Harper describes the shock and delight at how much audiences laugh, even at moments not intended for humor.
    • “The first preview... there were so many laughs that surprised us...When 1100 people just embrace you with this huge wave of laughter when you don't expect it, it's... I just had no idea.” (William Jackson Harper, 21:11)

• On Audience’s Subjectivity

  • He welcomes laughter as a valid, even necessary reaction—resisting the idea that theater must be “church.”
    • “I bristle at the idea of theater as church. I think that it. Whatever your reaction is, is a reaction that you have, and it's valid...” (William Jackson Harper, 22:43)

Reflections and Takeaways

• Personal Growth & Artistic Challenge
  • Harper concludes by emphasizing what he has learned from embracing a daunting role:
    • “Chekhov is something that's one of those things that I've had a hard time wrapping my mind around. And to get the opportunity to dive into something that is a little bit scary...that was great. The thing that I'm gonna take away from this is that I got, I have a challenge, I completed a challenge that I'm really excited about.” (William Jackson Harper, 24:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Aging into Chekhov:
  • “The collateral damage of changing your life at this stage in life is very different from the collateral damage of changing your life straight out of college.” (William Jackson Harper, 04:09)
• On Performance Chemistry:
  • “It's really easy to just let it all out with [Alison Pill] because it feels safe.” (William Jackson Harper, 16:20)
• On Live Theater:
  • “We're calibrating still...There's so much there. It's so dense that we're always kind of calibrating and recalibrating things from night to night” (William Jackson Harper, 17:19)
• On Audience Response:
  • “I bristle at the idea of theater as church. I think that it—whatever your reaction is, is a reaction that you have, and it's valid.” (William Jackson Harper, 22:43)

Important Timestamps

• [02:46] Introduction to Uncle Vanya and William Jackson Harper
• [04:09] Harper on connecting to Chekhov’s themes as an older actor
• [05:59] Adaptation and American feel of the production
• [08:46] Discussing the rural setting and research into Astrov
• [13:52] Acting choices—playing drunk on stage
• [16:20] The emotional partnership with Alison Pill
• [18:35] Navigating water and realism on set
• [21:11] Audience laughter and unexpected humor
• [24:09] Reflections on growth and artistic challenge

Overall Tone

The conversation is warm, candid, and reflective, capturing both the artistry and day-to-day realities of live theater. Harper’s insights are thoughtful, self-effacing, and anchored in humor, vulnerability, and a love of the craft.