Showtime: Northeast Philly native Matt Pfeiffer directs The Whale, currently on stage at Theatre Exile. The play tells the story of Charlie, a 600-pound recluse hiding away in an apartment in rural Idaho.
As a theater director, Northeast Philly native Matt Pfeiffer has often found unusual ways to prepare for a play.
That’s certainly true for Theatre Exile’s current production, The Whale.
Well before rehearsals began, Pfeiffer watched several episodes of the TV reality show, My 600 Pound Life. It’s not a show that Pfeiffer would normally watch. But it turned out to be very helpful as Pfeiffer prepared to direct a play about a main character who is 600 pounds.
“We wanted to get a sense of how someone exists with those physical limitations — how they move, how they behave, how they eat,” explains Pfeiffer, who watched the episodes with actor Scott Greer, who plays the 600-pound Charlie. “The TV clips gave us clues about how to portray all this.”
Another challenge was planning a costume that would transform Greer into someone who looked as if he weighed 600 pounds. He’s a large actor, over 6-foot tall, but of course he’s nowhere near that weight.
The “fat suit” would require more than just simple padding.
Pfeiffer consulted with costume designer Alison Roberts, who then designed the elaborate costume complete with folds, foam and separate pieces for the body and legs.
“The audience never comes in assuming that the actor is really 600 pounds,” says Pfeiffer. “They know it’s a costume. But it captures the essence of what someone of that weight looks like.”
The real heart of the play is not what Charlie looks like. It’s about much more.
Charlie is a 600-pound recluse hiding away in an apartment in rural Idaho.
“He is slowly killing himself by eating himself to death,” says Pfeiffer. “The play is asking the audience to think about what would lead someone to do this. What happens when you feel guilt and can’t forgive yourself? To what length would you go to punish yourself?
“It’s much more about dealing with depression and guilt than it is about weight. It deals with life and death, and with humanity and forgiveness.”
It’s also about Charlie’s desperate desire to reconnect with his estranged daughter.
Charlie is also a gay man, and that is another theme in The Whale.
“The play is about acceptance of a love between two men,” says Pfeiffer. “It’s been heralded for its portrayal of a gay theme in a very different way.”
One of its awards was in 2013, when the play won a GLAAD Media Award (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).
A key decision for Pfeiffer was choosing an actor who could portray all this complexity. But for Pfeiffer, that decision was easy.
“I chose the play with Scott in mind,” says Pfeiffer, who is associate artistic director of Theatre Exile.
The Whale is his sixth collaboration with Greer.
“This play requires incredibly skillful acting,” he said. “The actor has to portray all the character’s pain and sense of guilt, as well as his humorous side. And Scott is capable of doing all that.”
Based on reaction of critics and audience, Pfeiffer indeed made the right casting choice. “Greer is sensational in the role of Charlie,” praised theater reviewer Howard Shapiro on Newsworks.
In all, a cast of five brings this play to life on the stage of Theatre Exile. Its space has been reconfigured specifically for this production.
Except for Greer, who was selected even before auditions began, the other actors were chosen by Pfeiffer based on their auditions. He guided them through rehearsals.
One special challenge was that Greer’s costume had to be ready in advance of the dress rehearsal. It was so complex and cumbersome that the actor needed practice in moving in it, even though his movements are limited to sitting on a sofa and then in a wheelchair.
When previews began, Pfeiffer, as usual, was in the audience, watching attentively, taking notes about any suggestions or revisions. Of course, he was also interested in audience reaction.
“Most people in the audience seemed overwhelmed and very moved by what they had seen,” reports Pfeiffer. “A play like this is about universal experience; it deals with a reconciliation between a parent and child.”
The reviews, too, were full of praise. In fact, because of popular demand, the performances have been extended through March 8.
“Associate artistic director Matt Pfeiffer has taken an honest, spare and beautifully clean approach to The Whale,” praised reviewer Kathryn Osenlund on Phindie.
It’s not the first time Pfeiffer has won praise for his work. Initially an actor, he’s become one of the city’s most in-demand directors. He’s been nominated seven times for Barrymore awards, and was the recipient of the prestigious Otto Haas Award for Emerging Theater Artist in 2008.
His love of theater began in the Northeast. Attending Archbishop Ryan High School, he was in every school play during his four years — a total of 8 plays. After graduating, he earned a degree in theater from DeSales University.
He’s been committed to theater ever since. Now his latest effort is one of his most challenging — and most gratifying.
“I love being able to work on plays like this,” he says. “In a time when we are more and more disconnected from each other, I value the theater as a place where people can come together and share the same experience. A play like this is about universal experience. It tells a simple story that’s about profound themes.” ••
The Whale, at Theatre Exile, 13th and Reed streets, has been extended through March 8. For ticket information, visit www.theatreexile.org or call 215–218–4022.
