Small Craft Warnings by Tennessee Williams
Regeneration Theatre, whose missions is to bring the rarely seen back into the spotlight took one of Tennessee Williams’ lesser plays and breathed new life into it. Lesser ONLY in the sense of visibility. This incredible gem is currently running at 13th Street Playhouse featuring Robert Maisonett, George A Morafetis, Jenne Vath, Jed Peterson, Nicole Greevy, Jon Spano, Jason Pintar, and Christian Musto and is directed by Barnaby Edwards and Marcus Gualberto; with lighting & sound by Allison Hohman.
We spoke with several of the actors in the production. Here we have our conversation with Jason Pintar who plays Quentin – as rumor has it – a character who the author loosely-based on … himself.
Tell us about yourself as an artist.
My life as an artist in New York has been delightfully random. I’ve been here 13 years now, and I played trumpet and sang in a ska band for several years, I’ve toured the US and Canada on a non-eq bus and truck tour of Titanic, I’ve performed as a guest artist on cruise ships, and I’ve done a handful of voiceovers and a slew of regional theatre, both plays and musicals. I also play the ukulele, but it seems like EVERYBODY plays the ukulele, these days. The last year or so of my life has been primarily concerts, recordings (I’m particularly proud to be a part of “Tonya & Nancy: Highlights from The Rock Opera, Live at Feinstein’s/54 Below), and readings, so when Small Craft Warnings came my way, I jumped at the opportunity.
Tell us about your role in SCW (actors, please discuss your part and its relation to the lot; creatives, tell us your function to the project/company)
I play Quentin in Small Craft Warnings. He’s a a washed up screenwriter, working in blue movies, and to describe him in one word he’s, quite simply, jaded. His life is one of routine, and nothing surprises him, anymore. He’s one of very few Tennessee Williams characters that’s openly gay, and it’s agreed upon by many that Williams essentially wrote himself in this play as this character. There’s an inherent sadness to him that he masks by regularly seeking out the company of straight men. But on the night in which SCW takes place, he ends up picking up a young, gay man (Bobby) who exudes so much natural excitement, it forces him to reflect on how he used to feel about life.Share with us your thoughts on independent theater. What is its significance to the skyline of entertainment in NYC?
The thrill of a standing ovation in a giant Broadway theatre is a beautiful thing, but I’d rather hear a whisper or notice a wink on a tiny stage with an intimate audience. Both are important parts of NY theater culture, but independent theatre has a lifeblood all its own. Support, see, and take part in as much of it as you can. You never know what gems you might find.
OUTER-STAGE 