Sympathetic Eyes

Here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson: Bucks County Playhouse brings ‘The Graduate’ to the stage.

By: Anthony Stoeckert
   Janet Gray just might have what it takes to play the perfect Mrs. Robinson in Bucks County Playhouse’s production of The Graduate. But without a casting change, she might have never gotten the chance to take on the part.
   The production was scheduled to feature Kim Zimmer of the soap opera Guiding Light in the iconic role. After plans fell through, a friend told Ms. Gray she should audition. Once she did, it didn’t take long for director Michael Licata to decide that Ms. Gray was the right choice to fill Anne Bancroft’s stockings.
   Ms. Gray has been acting for years, but the opening of The Graduate marks her Bucks County Playhouse debut. The reason for that is pretty simple — most of Bucks’ productions are musicals, so Ms. Gray, who doesn’t sing, says she’s never responded to the company’s casting calls. She has seen several of the playhouse’s productions, however, and is excited to be working there.
   "I live just over the river… So it’s close and I’ve always known (about Bucks County Playhouse) and always wanted to work there," she says. "And it’s just a great part. I knew it was a great role, I hadn’t actually read the play, but I had seen the film a few times and I knew Kathleen Turner had done it recently (on Broadway) and (that) it was a great part."
   There could just be a little serendipity at play here as well since Ms. Gray once worked as Ms. Turner’s stand-in while filming an episode of Law & Order.
   Playing a role so identified by Ms. Bancroft’s performance might be a daunting task. But Ms. Gray says she isn’t bothered by the idea. She’s aiming to bring her own twist to the role at Bucks June 21 to 25, at the Pocono Playhouse July 12 to 16 and then again at Bucks in November.
   "I just try not to think about that kind of thing and I don’t think about how someone else did it," Ms. Gray says of comparisons to the movie. "I purposely haven’t re-watched the movie because I don’t want to have it in my mind that I might try to be like that. I’m going to play the part as me as Mrs. Robinson."
   One thing she’ll bring to the role is her British accent. Ms. Gray, who lives in Titusville, was born in Liverpool and moved to the U.S. about 18 years ago. Her accent came in handy when she played Cynthia Lennon (John Lennon’s first wife) in a New York production of Lennon, a Life, but Ms. Gray asked Mr. Licata if he wanted her to use an American accent while playing Mrs. Robinson. The director said no, believing Ms. Gray’s natural way of speech would add some mystique to the part.
   That extra mystique could certainly help because Mrs. Robinson is such a strong character. In fact, the character has so much presence that it’s easy to forget she actually isn’t the central character of the movie, or the play. The focus of the story is on Benjamin Braddock as he finds himself clueless about life after he graduates college. In one of the most famous scenes in movie history, Mrs. Robinson seduces Benjamin, who soon after starts spending the bulk of his time sleeping on a raft in his parents’ pool — and sleeping with Mrs. Robinson. The story takes a turn when Benjamin falls in love with Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, Elaine. In the seduction scene, Mrs. Robinson is completely confident and in control, but that changes with the story’s events.
   "It’s a triangle," says Mr. Licata. "It’s not just about Mrs. Robinson and Benjamin, it’s also about Benjamin falling in love with Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, that’s a very important element of the play."
   Because of that key plot point, casting the right actress in the role of Mrs. Robinson was vital. By the time auditions for Mrs. Robinson were held, Peter Martino had already been cast as Benjamin and Lauren Brader was set to play Elaine.
   "(Ms. Gray) walked in and I said, ‘That’s Mrs. Robinson,’" Mr. Licata says. "We could not have done better. She understands (the role), she’s an incredibly attractive woman, and I think she has all the elements of the role."
   "There are so many facets to this women’s personality," he continues. "She’s mysterious, she’s very sexy, it makes for very interesting theater nowadays. It addresses topics that we’re more used to talking about now than they were back in 1967 — that’s another thing that makes it interesting theater today."
   Chief among those topics is a married woman seducing a man young enough to be her son. That idea may not sound so shocking in this age of news reports about teachers having affairs with their students, but in 1967 the dalliance between Benjamin and Mrs. Robinson was groundbreaking.
   "The time period makes it even more interesting because of what it is, and what the subject matter is," Mr. Licata says. "And when you’re dealing with this subject matter in the ’60s, it adds a little more edge." Setting the action in that decade also allowed for use of the era’s fashion and music, adding some character to the production.
   Something else the play seems likely to offer is humor — there was plenty of laughter during the earliest rehearsals.
   "I’ve been giggling during rehearsals because I do find it somewhat amusing," Ms. Gray says of the play. "I told (Mr. Licata) I won’t be giggling (during the performances) but I do find it really funny and I’m trying to keep a straight face during rehearsals… (Benjamin’s) reactions to (Mrs. Robinson) are really quite amusing, and I don’t think (she) would react with as much giggling as I am. I have to get that out of my system."
The Graduate will be presented at Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S. Main St., New
Hope, Pa., through June 25. Performances: Wed.-Thurs. 2, 8 p.m.; Fri. 8 p.m.;
Sat. 4, 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22-$24. For information, call (215)
862-2041. On the Web: www.buckscountyplayhouse.com