By Robert Simonson
17 Feb 2010

Playbill.com: I would think that if you really wanted to push the pro-life position, you wouldn't have chosen to end the play the way you did. Without giving away the ending, it's hard to believe that anyone will sympathize with the play's single pro-life character after she does what she does.
JR: (Laughs) Robert, I think you're absolutely right. I don't think I'm going to make any friends on either side.

Playbill.com: Was that always the ending?
JR: That was always the ending. My take on that is that she is following through on her commitment. She wants to bring babies into the world and wants the mother to live. From her point of view, she's done the right thing. People in the audience don't feel that way.

Playbill.com: To my mind, the most likable character in the play, ironically, was the abortionist in the first section of the play. Was that your intention? She was the only person that cared about that young woman.
JR: Oh! Well, that's interesting. Yes, she is caring about her. And she's very calm and quiet and, as far as we know, doesn't make any mistakes and knows what she's doing.

Playbill.com: How did Flea artistic director Jim Simpson enter the picture?
JR: We had a reading here in the city. The third act is what gave everyone difficulty, because it's long and — I don't want to say it about myself — but they called it "Bad Shaw." Some sort of Shavian attempt to have a discussion about this, and it's exhausting. And the subject of it and the way it evolved gave people trouble. Everyone sitting there was quite sober, but Jim was giggling over all the lines. I thought, "This guy is seeing something in it that nobody else sees." When Gordon passed, I thought right away of Jim because he responded so positively. We worked quite well together.

Playbill.com: You're aware that Simpson has been a big supporter of the political plays of A.R. Gurney, which are distinctly liberal in tone.
JR: I know. Pete and I are friends and argue all the time over dinner. Yes, he is quite on the Left. He's one of the people who leaned on Jim and said, "You really ought to do this," and said, "Jonathan, you really ought to do this at the Flea." He was a great broker of this.

Playbill.com: Are you working on any new plays?
JR: I am. I'm working on two. One is a completely non-political farce. Because these political things, particularly if you don't have the popular political stance, are really murder get on. It's been a long haul. And Stonewall Jackson's House took almost 12 years to get on. It was turned down by everybody.

Playbill.com: What's the second play?
JR: One is about journalistic responsibility.

Playbill.com: Ah. Another one that'll take 12 years to get on.
JR: Exactly. At least.