Breaking Bad in 'The Farm'

Lindsey McWhorter and Dale Place in The Farm

From the first time I read Walt McGough's terrific play, I was so taken by the ease and immediacy of his great dialogue I think I actually started to drool. A chance to play a highly-skilled clandestine operative of the CIA with some deep, dark secrets? An opportunity to "break bad?" I'm still pinching myself ... ok, it's the best role I've had in longer than I can remember. There, I've said it!

We've just finished our tech process and the play is being transformed into a visceral, sensory experience thanks to the vibrancy of director David Gammons' vision. I've been a fan of David's for quite a while and what a pleasure it is to be a part of his production. He's aided and abetted by the first-rate design and production team: Karen Perlow's lighting (ok, my wife gets top billing), Dave Remedios' sound, Jon Savage's set, Gail Buckley's costumes, with Marsha Smith (our stage manager) making it all run smoothly. I mean, come on! ... what a team!

And, what a pleasure it is to share this piece with my wonderful co-conspirators, Lindsey McWhorter and Nael Nacer! It's an intense experience we all go through in this play, and the way it gathers steam and accelerates as it goes along is quite exhilarating. It's a full-being experience, an intensity of life ... it's why we do theatre. Experiences like this don't come around often enough!

-Dale Place