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[0:00] Robert Bannon: Welcome to The Roundtable! Today, we have a very special guest joining us. Rebeca Robles is here to talk about her new Off-Broadway play, HUMAN THINGS, and her husband, playwright Joshua Owen, is joining the conversation as well. So, tell us, how did this show come to you?

[0:37] Rebeca Robles: Well, it came to me in a very unusual way, non-traditionally, I would say. My husband is actually the playwright, and we've been working on this play together for between three and five years now, on and off. So yeah, we've sort of, he started writing it when I was in grad school up at Yale, or across at Yale, directionally, from where I am now. But yes, to the east. But yeah, so it's been quite a journey. It's been fun. It's been different. Yeah.

[1:15] Robert Bannon: So my personal question, because I'm fascinated, because I married a banker on purpose, because I was like, oh God, artists are crazy. So what is a house like with two artists, with an actor and a playwright?

[1:28] Rebeca Robles: That's so funny, because I thought I was also not marrying an artist when I married him. No, it's true. He tricked me. When we met, he owned a restaurant company. And before that, he was a lawyer. So I was like, we're good. Separation here. But he's always been very involved in the arts. He's like an avid consumer of all things, plays, film, literature. And while I was in grad school, a lot of his restaurants sort of closed down. And he suddenly had all this time. He was in New Haven, alone-ish, because I'm in school all day. And he started writing. So that's how that happened. And next thing I know, I'm married to a playwright.

[2:12] Robert Bannon: See? He gave you the good. Look, he really played into it. Lawyer, restauranteur. Oh, and now we're an artist.

[2:19] Rebeca Robles: I know. It's crazy.

[2:20] Robert Bannon: I love it. What does it mean for you, as a team, facing this business together, and a hard business, a business that can beat you up with high highs and low lows, to be able to have an incredible run, right there at the West End Theater, preview starting on the 12th, opening night on the 25th? It must be pretty incredible, as a tag team, that you are, to have this happen.

[2:42] Rebeca Robles: Yeah. No, I mean, we have our conflicts, and we have our strengths and weaknesses. I think that overall, it's been a very positive process that's really brought us together. We lived in Atlanta before I went to grad school, and we did some producing together there, at a much smaller scale. And so we kind of had a little bit of practice collaborating in this way. But yeah, this is a whole other thing. And it has been really fun, to actually have full access to the playwright in a new way. Because I've worked on new plays before. But this is like, I'll come home from rehearsal. And of course, there's the balance of, I don't want to ask him too much, because it's the director's job now to be telling me what to do.

But I'm like, Josh, what does this line mean? What were you thinking when you wrote this? And then I get all this, you know, all of this information that I, you know, wouldn't have gotten otherwise. So it's really a treat. And yeah, and it's also kind of weird, because, you know, the play isn't about us in our relationship at all. But it is about a couple. And it is about a couple who, you know, when he was writing it, I had so much purpose. I was in, you know, I was in grad school. And he was there for me, sort of supporting me and didn't have as much to do. And that's kind of the setup of this couple in a very different way. You know, Margaret, the character I'm playing is an avian ecologist; she studies birds, and she's got all this purpose.

And they're on this island for her to do her work. And Greg, her husband, is there to support her. So there's elements of like our relationship that comes in. And so that can be weird, because I'm like, Josh, do you really think is that about us? And he's like, No, no, it's not. So it's been fun and weird and interesting. And just yeah, very, a very unique experience.

[4:25] Robert Bannon: Well, if you want to see a couple that's out on an island and studying birds, and they run into some other people and chaos or mess and something ensues. I can't tell you what's the mess. Yeah, without giving it away. Things happen. Things happen. humanthingsplay.com is where you can get your tickets as a five-week run. So you've got to get your tickets right there on 86th Street. So you don't even have to deal with Times Square; you can go eat and go see this show.

[4:52] Rebeca Robles: No, skip right through Times Square all the way up there.

[4:54] Robert Bannon: Right up. Much better food, much less people dressed in Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck costumes. We've been joking in the rehearsal room that that Uptown is the new downtown.

[5:05] Rebeca Robles: So it is. It is now.

[5:06] Robert Bannon: I love Josh's your bio and when people go see this, you know, you have your grew up in South Carolina, right? You were acting in Atlanta, you went to, you know, went to Yale, which is very, very fancy dancy and done television. That is it. And then you start doing a lot of television and then you do theatre too. What does it mean to do it in New York City? Like what does it mean? It's a bucket list. It's a moment. It's like that's the goal is to get a show up on the boards in New York City.

[5:39] Rebeca Robles: Yeah. Oh, my God. Yeah. No, I mean, before I went to grad school, I was working in film and TV and theatre in Atlanta. And then, you know, I came up to New York. I was I had done enough work that I was able to get like good representation in New York. And I was like, OK, I'm going to do the New York thing that I was always really scared to do, you know, because I went to a very small undergraduate program and I didn't really have a family that understood what it meant to go into the arts. And so I was kind of just like winging it in a lot of ways. And coming out of grad school, I was like, OK, now I'm ready to take on New York. No, it was so like just that first year out of school was terrifying.

I mean, the industry is brutal right now and it's really, really hard to, you know, I can audition all day, but there's just so much competition. There's so many talented people out there, but there's also so much politics that go into casting and so many different things. And so, you know, I was starting to feel really discouraged. And then at a certain point, Josh and I were like, let's just make it happen for ourselves. So, you know, this is my first like real New York City show and I feel ready, but I'm also terrified. So come be terrified with me.

[6:59] Rebeca Robles: Go be terrified with them. It'll be a big, giant smash of a hit. Yeah, it's a scary play. I get to be really terrified in it. So it works.

[7:04] Robert Bannon: That's perfect. No, I loved it because I loved the juxtaposition between your bio and his bio, which says he lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Rebecca. This is his first play and he's working on the second one slowly.

[7:14] Rebeca Robles: So slowly.

[7:15] Robert Bannon: Can you add a little bit more to your bio? He's like, no, they'll figure it out. So I just want to let you maybe you don't know this, Rebecca, but the people you're in this show with have done a lot of theater, a lot of television. They are legends. Tell us about your cast.

[7:33] Rebeca Robles: Oh, my God. We got so lucky with this cast. I mean, I think it's first of all, well, we got lucky in a lot of ways, but also it's an amazing play. Like it is a very unique play for the moment right now. I, you know, I read a lot of new plays. I'm auditioning for a lot of new plays and like this one blew my mind. And so I think, you know, we got we got these people who are so incredible because it is a very unique play with very interesting, juicy characters. And I'm just having so much fun because they're incredible. Like Victoria, Michael, Ben, they bring they're bringing so much to the rehearsal room and it's making my job easy. And yeah, we're just having honestly having a lot of fun. And Rory's incredible. I feel like, yeah, I feel like we're just like it's like the dream, honestly. We're all just going into the rehearsal room and like rolling around and screaming and like trying things. And yeah, it sounds good to me.

[8:32] Robert Bannon: Rory McGregor directing this has been involved in, I think, shows with a combined of 17 Tony nominations. You know, you know, Michael from Tony and Drama Desk Award nominated for Kiss Me Kate and all sorts of Broadway. Ben is a I loved him in Boardwalk Empire. That's a good, that was a good, juicy, juicy show. And then, of course, Miss Vicki Clark herself, the Tony superstar. So when you guys get into a rehearsal room, it's one thing to read it. It's one thing to live with the playwright. It's one thing for you to sit in this cutest little room in the world that you're in and read a play and envision it. And then it's another thing to be handed off to a director and real actors come into the room. What's the rehearsal room been like when you all sit down and now get it on its feet?

[9:15] Rebeca Robles: Yeah, well, it's been, you know, from the beginning, it was a lot of really in-depth sort of working into the script because there's a lot there's a lot of ambiguity in the script and there's a lot of like, which is intentional. I think, you know, Josh is not wanting to answer questions in the way he writes. He's like putting a lot of questions out there and not answering them. But us as the actors and the director are wanting to come up with answers for ourselves, of course. And so there was a lot we spent a lot of time sort of just building what the world is for us, building the circumstances for us and then getting on our feet. It's really just been playing around. And Vicky and Michael in particular are not afraid to play around.

So it's been it's been really it's been a lesson, really a lesson in acting just to get to see them work. But, yeah, it's been a lot of trial and error. I mean, even just I would say yesterday, there's one scene in the play and every time we work it, it's like, OK, that's not quite working. And we re-block the whole thing. We do it again and we're like, OK, we'll try that for the next run and we do it. And it's like, no. And so finally, yesterday we did it a totally different way. And everyone was like, yeah, we think that's it. So that's kind of been the process. It's been very fluid. It's been very open to exploration. And yeah, I'm grateful to Rory for creating a space where we can do that.

[10:47] Rebeca Robles: I'm so excited to be here and talk about "Human Things." It's been such a journey bringing this play to life in New York.

[11:47] Rebeca Robles: The process of creating this piece alongside my husband, Joshua Owen, has been incredibly rewarding. We’ve been able to explore the themes of the play together, which makes it all the more special.

[12:17] Rebeca Robles: "Human Things" really delves into the complexities of relationships and the ways we connect with one another. It’s a story that feels very timely, especially in today’s world.

[12:47] Rebeca Robles: Working with such a talented cast, including Victoria Clark and Michael Mulheren, has been a dream. Their insights and performances bring so much depth to the story.

[13:17] Rebeca Robles: I think what drew me to this play was its authenticity. It’s a reflection of real-life struggles and the human experience, which I believe resonates with many people.

[13:47] Rebeca Robles: Joshua and I have a unique dynamic as both partners and collaborators. It can be challenging at times, but ultimately, it strengthens our bond and the work we create.

[14:17] Rebeca Robles: The journey of bringing "Human Things" to the stage has been filled with ups and downs, but seeing it come to life has made it all worth it.

[14:47] Rebeca Robles: I’m thrilled for audiences to experience this play. It’s not just about the story; it’s about the conversations it sparks and the connections it fosters.

[15:17] Rebeca Robles: We’ve poured our hearts into this project, and I hope that it encourages people to reflect on their own relationships and the importance of connection.

[15:47] Rebeca Robles: The feedback we’ve received so far has been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s exciting to see how people are relating to the characters and their journeys.

[16:17] Rebeca Robles: I believe that theatre has the power to heal and bring people together, and "Human Things" embodies that spirit.

[16:47] Rebeca Robles: I can’t wait for more people to see it and to hear their thoughts. It’s a conversation starter, and that’s what I love about it.

[17:17] Rebeca Robles: Being able to create something so personal with Joshua has been a beautiful experience. It’s a testament to our partnership both on and off the stage.

[17:47] Rebeca Robles: I think the audience will find themselves in the characters, and that’s what makes this play so relatable and impactful.

[18:17] Rebeca Robles: We’re excited to continue sharing "Human Things" with New York audiences and beyond. It’s a journey we’re proud to be on.

[18:47] Rebeca Robles: Thank you for having me on the show to discuss this project. I’m looking forward to what’s next for us and for the play.

[19:17] Rebeca Robles: It’s been a pleasure to share our story and the story of "Human Things." I hope everyone gets a chance to see it!

[19:47] Rebeca Robles: The collaboration with our cast and crew has been incredible, and I’m grateful for everyone’s hard work and dedication.

[20:17] Rebeca Robles: I believe that this play will leave a lasting impression on those who see it, and I can’t wait to hear their reactions.

[20:47] Rebeca Robles: Thank you again for this opportunity to talk about "Human Things." It’s truly a labor of love for all of us involved.

[21:17] Rebeca Robles: I hope to see you all at the theatre!