Logophile Productions present… A New Play byLuke Bond: STILL WAITING FOR LEFTY – running Independence Day Weekend (July 4th @ 7:00 p.m; July 5th @ 7:00 p.m; July 6th @ 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.) at Teatro Latea — 107 Suffolk Street — NYC. TICKETS

“Waiting for Lefty” by Clifford Odets was produced in 1935 by The Group Theater and was heavily influenced by the 40-day cab drivers’ strike the previous year. Luke Bond’s play continues where Odets left off — showing us how little has changed. Set in the very recent past and the uncomfortably near future, “Still Waiting for Lefty” follows the lives of various warehouse workers for “New World Tech.” This all too familiar looking predominant and monstrous tech company with international influence continuously profits on the back of the working class. As workers of the world unite to battle for equitable wages and working conditions, they must overcome New World Tech’s sinister and underhanded tactics for resolving labor disputes, wherein workers’ integrity and solidarity will be tested.

Meet Laura Jones, Brian Welton Cook, Ronald Barshop, and Maria Jose Payares

Laura Jones: I’m originally from Texas and relocated to NYC at the end of 2019 with my partner, who knew what was around the corner. I’ve been a stage actor for about 20 years. 

Brian Welton Cook: My name is Brian Welton Cook. I was born and raised in Texas. I’ve been Acting for about 15 years, mostly in experimental theater. that’s how I met my wife and that’s why I’m here right now.

Ronald Barshop: I am a graduate of the College of Fine Arts at Boston University, receiving a BFA in Acting with a minor in English.  After completing my BFA, I went to graduate school and received a Master’s in Education and an additional Master’s in Information and library science.  I worked for many years in the private sector honing all my skills and fulfilled a full life experience.  Now, I am back to my roots, acting and education.

Maria Jose Payares: My name is Maria Jose Payares, and I am from Barranquilla, Colombia. Since I was a little girl I’ve had a great passion for the performing arts and telling stories. I moved to New York City at the beginning of 2021 to attend acting school. Since graduating I’ve been working on short films and staged reading, this will be my NY stage debut which I am very excited about. I have also recently gotten into theater-producing

How do you go about creating your characters … and did you utilize the original Odets play for your research.

Laura Jones: The original play is so informative that it naturally influences my character. Finding Katherine wasn’t terribly hard, she struggles as much as everyone else while pretending to have it all together.

Brian Welton Cook: Creating a character is about truth. The truth of themselves and the truth that others perceive in them. I did read the original play and I can say that the interaction between Miller and Mr. Hopkins is closely related to the scene that we do in this show. With modern Technology intertwined. 

Ronald Barshop: I read the original play, “Waiting For Lefty” many years ago, but with the second look at Odets’ play, it opened my eyes to the many themes and worldwide messages. As do Shakespeare’s words still have meaning today, so do Odets’ words written 90 years ago ring true.  I firmly believe that the theatre is the mechanism to convey the essence of life, a vignette, a slice of life. 

Maria Jose Payares: I like using everything that is in the play/script to create a character, from what is written on the page and the given circumstances, I start building the character’s world. For my character, Selena, I believe her relationship with her mother is very defining of who she is as a person. I also did accent work for my character. I did read the original play, I am a fan of Odets’ work and any source material helps when you’re doing character work.

This is a worldwide message that impacts all of us. Do you feel an extra sense of responsibility when you are part of works such as this?

Laura Jones: This is a worldwide message that impacts all of us. Do you feel an extra sense of responsibility when you are part of works such as this? I love that a one hundred year old play is just as relevant today as it was then. I greatly appreciate the diversity Luke has introduced to this cast.

Brian Welton Cook: I do. If America has shown us anything, it’s that the working class are constantly fighting for survival. The wealth gap has never been wider. And I do feel a responsibility to reflect that unfortunate truth through art. 

Maria Jose Payares: As an actor, I feel a responsibility to tell any story in the best way possible and it is no different with this play. Luke did a wonderful job building this world and characters, so you want to give it justice. I always want to be the most prepared and authentic I can be, and give 100% of myself to every project.

You run during Independence Day weekend… very clever. Does that help the message? 

Laura Jones: You run during Independence Day weekend… very clever. Does that help the message? Art is completely subjective, people will assign whatever relevance they see fit. 

Brian Welton Cook: You run during Independence Day weekend… very clever. Does that help the message? Running the show that weekend was purely a coincidence. you could get 100 people to look at a painting and get 100 different opinions.

Ronald Barshop: Opening during the Independence Day weekend further expands the belief that we all have unalienable rights, “…Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…” “Still Waiting For Lefty” carries that message. 

Maria Jose Payares: Everyone is preparing and working hard to make this play the best it can be. When we put the play out into the world it is up to the audience to interpret it and receive it in their own way. If the dates are significant to them, then so be it.

What’s next for you? 

Laura Jones: The life of an artist doesn’t have a set timeline. I’ll continue to audition and hope to be back on the stage creating a new character soon.

Brian Welton Cook: The same future as my character Miller. Audition, rejection, acceptance, audition. Rinse, lather, repeat.

Ronald Barshop: My future holds my family, the theatre and teaching in public education. 

Maria Jose Payares: I am co-producing “Pieces of People: A Two-sided Eulogy”, an original play written by Bradly Valenzuela. Pieces of People will be running at the New York Theater Festival on July 16th, 17th, and 20th.