Mike Levins

Then I heard the actor playing the Rabbi dropped out of the show a week and a half before opening night so I showed up and got the part. A few years later, on the strength of that experience and my credentials as a psychologist, I was hired briefly as a consultant to Actor’s Equity Association in Chicago where I ran groups and helped actors develop their roles. Then, almost forty years after my first experience on stage, I saw an ad for auditions for Fiddler on the Roof by the group now known as Westmont Performing Arts, and played the Rabbi again. I was hooked. The following summer I played Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls with the same group and never looked back. Writing was almost as accidental. I mainly wanted to write the kind of stories that I wanted to read. The wonderful thing about writing is that you don’t need much to be able to do it. It’s a wonderful solitary spiritual experience.

West Suburban Theatre Blog (WTSB):  What initially drew you to the world of playwriting?

M. Levins: All of my plays were originally short stories. A few years ago, Westchester Theater solicited for short one act plays around the theme of holidays. I retooled one of my stories into a play, submitted it, and it was selected for production. I had nothing to do with the production so I had no idea what to expect when I showed up to see it. It was an incredible and unforgettable experience to see my play enacted before my teary eyes. Since then I converted three more short stories into one act plays. Westmont Performing Arts is producing three of them as Triple Play.

WSTB: What inspires your stories and characters?

M. Levins: Various things inspire me. We have a painting in our living room that looked like it must have a good story behind it so I wrote it. I wrote another based on a photo my son took. The Shaving Brush was inspired by, guess what, a shaving brush at a garage sale. I came home, wrote the story, printed it out, and returned to the garage sale to present it to the seller. Several of my stories were based on true life events, especially when I was working as a prison psychologist. All my stories involve people meeting other people and both having a positive influence on the other. And some are just downright silly stories that are only meant to make you laugh.

WSTB: How do you approach the process of writing a new story?

M. Levins: I start with an idea and then allow it to flow wherever it goes. I love those times when I am surprised. I didn’t know that was going to happen! I see the pictures in my head and hear the dialogue and get it down as best as I can.

WSTB: Are there any themes or subjects that you find yourself frequently exploring in your work?

M. Levins:  Aside from stories about growth and relationships, I love themes involving the paranormal. I have a story about a man who is angry with his guardian angel because he thought he should have had a better life. Another story involves a group of friends planning how they are going to spend their next lifetime on Earth together. I want the reader or audience to be entertained but I also want them to feel something and learn something. I never stopped being the psychologist. Stories are a great way to teach.

WSTB:  How do you navigate the balance between staying true to your artistic vision and considering audience reception?

M. Levins: I don’t write for the audience. I write for myself. If it moves me emotionally then I know it’s good. If the story has heart, then the actors will feel it and if the actors feel it, the audience will also. If I think about how it will be received, then I start second guessing myself and then the magic won’t happen.

WSTB:  How do you collaborate with directors, actors, and other creatives during the production process?

M. Levins: My feeling is that once it is released to the theater it is no longer mine alone. I welcome the input of the actors and directors. I only saw it in my head. They make it visible to the audience. Often, they bring things that I didn’t see. As an actor, I respect the collaboration. It’s like having a child. Once they grow up and they are out in the world, they have to live their own lives. I am so very grateful that actors are willing to put in the hard work to bring my stories to life. Sometimes at rehearsals I have to pinch myself. Did I really write that?

WSTB:  Are there any particular moments or lines in your plays that hold special significance to you?

M. Levins: The best lines are the ones I couldn’t anticipate. They just pop into or out of my head. There’s a line in White Chocolate Moon I particularly love, “She is my greatest memory and my deepest regret.” Another favorite line I wrote, “changes were happening like popcorn.” Doesn’t’ really mean anything but it’s a great image and therefore means a lot.

WSTB:  . How do you approach the editing and revising process when refining your scripts?

M. Levins: The first drafts are about how it looks. The edits are about how it sounds. I’m not sure I can explain that further. The pictures have to be clear and the words have to flow.

WSTB:   Can you share any anecdotes or challenges you’ve faced during the production of one of your plays?

M. Levins: Since I am appearing in one of my plays, I found it interesting how difficult it is to memorize my own lines.

WSTB:   What are some of the most rewarding aspects of being a playwright for you personally?

M. Levins: The first and best is the writing itself. If I can see it and feel it and it flows I know it’s good. Sharing it with an audience is the frosting on the cake.

WSTB:   What do you believe sets live theater apart from other forms of storytelling, and why is it still relevant today?

M. Levins: It is ephemeral. It is a unique intimate experience that is there and then it’s gone. Each performance is unique. Acting has a dangerous aspect that is exciting, like flying on a trapeze without a safety net.

 WSTB: What would you like the audience to take away from Triple Play?

M Levins: Each of these stories include the things I hold most dear; challenge, struggle, growth, and redemption. Each of these endearing characters is aided by an unexpected visitor. As long as we never give up, help is always near at hand. As long we have the courage to continue onward in the face of adversity, recognize help when it is given, and bravely go through the doors that open for us, life can truly be a miracle unfolding.