What’s OTHER DESERT CITIES about? 
The play is about the consequences of keeping hard held secrets. Both to ones self and to ones family.

Do you have trouble keeping secrets?
I am actually pretty good at keeping secrets. So good in fact that it might not be a good idea to share in a blog. However I do find that when I do share a secret certain people have a hard time believing it.

How does your character fit into the family dynamic?
I play Lyman Wyeth the father of the family. He is a former movie actor who becomes a GOP chairman and ambassador under the Reagan administration. Within the family dynamic he is the peace maker. He is gentle yet firm in his approach.

What’s your favorite line in the play?
So many of Polly's (my wife in the play) lines. However, Silda has a line that ends act 1. "God, I love that vapor, I could just live in that scent, I'd be happy. I 'd never need a drink again,I'd just breathe it in." It sets the tone for whats to come.

Can you relate to the family dynamics in the play?
The play rings true on so many levels about the universal dynamics of a nuclear family trying to maintain its dignity and its priceless worth. There is an incredible personal price one pays for keeping secrets. I can very much relate to that.

What's OTHER DESERT CITIES about?

This is a play about "divergent truths" (that's from the play).  About how our perceptions of reality diverge according to when, where and with whom we exist in the world.  "Truth" is generational, it's cultural and it's personal.  And, of course, with divergent truth comes conflict!  That's where the play begins.

Do you have trouble keeping secrets?  

Ha!  That depends.  I'm very good at keeping secrets that I know are supposed to be kept.  In other words, if you tell me something you don't want me to tell anyone else, you'd better tell me that too.

I like to think I'm one of Malcolm Gladwell's "connectors" (from The Tipping Point), and that when I share information, it's just my effort to encourage connections between folks who might not otherwise find commonalities.  Here's where "divergent truths" come into play.  Some people see it as telling tales out of school.  Go figure.

What character do you play and how does she fit into the story? 

I play Polly.  She's the mom.  Or, more precisely, the Matriarch.  Polly is smart, strong, and in control--she's had to be--but she sometimes forgets to be kind.  That's an understatement.  'Nuff said.

What's your favorite line in the play?

This is a well written play, and there are many great lines, but I don't think I've identified a favorite.  I love a lot of what Trip says.  He's the son, the youngest child (which I am too, by the way) and the truth teller.  He kind of nails everybody.

Ok, here's a good one, in response to his sister suggesting he just doesn't understand her depression:

"How do you know what I have and don't have?...  You have your head so far up your own butt, you wouldn't notice if I were covered in killer ants and being stung to death right in front of you."  It sounds harsh, but it's said with love, believe it or not.  That's Trip, he loves everybody, warts and all.

Can you relate to the family dynamics in the play? 

I am blessed with a very loving, well functioning family, with mostly shared political and social views.  Lucky me.  That said, I can certainly identify with generational differences.  Even though I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum, politically, Polly's ideas about happiness are spot on.  Polly and Lyman are from the generation whose happiness is a product of health, productivity and self-sufficiency.  She has no patience for what she sees as a generation of children who want to place responsibility and blame externally, often on parents.  I have to admit, I also have no patience for adults who can't get beyond blaming their parents.  Psychoanalyze, fine, but then move on.  That's the Polly in me.

What's OTHER DESERT CITIES about?

Having just come off the holidays, I am sure that folks sat around and listened to family stories, and family myths. But the stories are vastly different based on who possesses the narrative. The Wyeth Family in ODC have a recognizable gathering, but the story is far harsher than most families and the play is about the right to possess the narrative. But because this is written by Jon Robin Baitz, and not Eugene O'Neill, you can bet that it is a battle of wits, not blood.

Do you have trouble keeping secrets?

Don't ever tell me you are pregnant and want me to keep it a secret - especially if you are a close friend. Also, I am the worst at keeping secret "new job" opportunities.

What is the most challenging aspect about directing this play?

It is rare that you have a play with so many characters that you have to shuffle around the stage. It is a large cast and requires me to brush up on my physics and spatial awareness.

What's your favorite line in the play?

"What happened to [my brother] will have to be seen. Everything. Everything in life is about to be seen, or not seen, and eventually, everything IS seen."

Can you relate to the family dynamics in this play?

Relationships that are complicated are fraught with miscommunication. Being a human being in 2014... I do not think there is an aspect of this play that doesn't remind me of my past and my relationships to my blood family and the family I have chosen.