Photo by Maria Young
Levity can prove lovely to convey, but when Ethan Lipkin steps on a stage, he prefers portraying complex, psychologically intense characters whose dispositions move audiences to ponder the navigation of their own dilemmas. Beginning tonight, the Pennsport resident will continue to contemplate how one contends with conflict by playing Frank, the husband of the titular character in the Irish Heritage Theatre’s production of “Molly Sweeney.”
“He is passionate about so many things, and that endows him with a bit of mania,” the actor said of the Brian Friel creation. “Because of his enthusiasm for those pursuits, he leaves some casualties on the side of the road since he’s pretty much a mess.”
One such obsession concerns the restoration of his bride’s sight, which she has beenwithout since infancy. Seeking assistance from a formerly famous ophthalmologist, he initiated their “plunge into an unknown frontier,” per a promotional release, and gives numerous looks at his tenacity, especially since Friel has the speakers in the 22-year-old two-act play speak only through monologues.
“Technically, it’s just crazy, and, structurally, it’s a bizarre play,” Lipkin, who will deliver 13 solo addresses to patrons at the Walnut Street Theatre Studio 5, the first being four pages long, said of the work’s scope. “It’s such a nice piece of work, though, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity because I have such great colleagues in Kirsten (Quinn) and Michael (Toner) to help me.”
As Molly’s “enthusiastic and adventurous” groom, Lipkin finds himself bringing to life a character very much unlike him in that Frank, when teetering on the brink of self-awareness, shuts down the instances that could provide powerful insights. The actor wants instead to grow each day and to see the merit of each moment.
“He needs something to focus on because he’s all over the place thanks to his interests,” Lipkin said. “Without giving too much away, I can say that Molly’s blindness becomes that, so I’m definitely eager to channel his convictions and also his reservations. I think we’re all fascinating studies because of those internal battles, and I thrive off analyzing with how much gusto people try to figure out how to treat themselves and others. This play is, therefore, a great professional opportunity and a great personal invitation to keep looking for more from yourself.”
The Long Island product began to seek more from himself very early on as a performer. With a firm affinity for playing characters, he came to enjoy the sense of escape that theatrical endeavors could offer and though initially drawn to the fun of the craft, he knew deeper lessons would appear for him to strive to master.
“It’s easy to be playful and joke about acting as being a sort of mental illness because of the heavy emotional legwork that comes with conveying everything,” Lipkin said of his vocation. “It does demand a certain amount of dedication to want to see something come of your efforts, and that often forces you to analyze just what you feel you can bring to this type of life.”
Through adding a Manhattan-based drama coach while a high school student and by matriculating at Boston University, where he noted that he hit his stride as a committed conveyor of texts, the thespian started to place emphasis on “the honesty of acting” and focused on shedding “a lot of preconceived stuff” about how to deliver as a performer. His immersion yielded the realization that he likes layered, damaged, and conflicted character or “the grays,” as he dubbed them.
“There are plenty of good black and white characters out there, but I love the other folks, the one who make us debate who they truly are because I think they offer more insight into who we are and what lengths we’ll go to to understand our depth,” Lipkin said. “Those are such compelling roles to put on because you know the writers had a fun time creating them, too.”
Though stages stood as great motivators, the performer pondered film seriously, too, seeing it as being capable of offering a tad more subtlety and nuance. As life progressed and he dealt with some patience-testing personal matters, Lipkin, just as he had done when heading to Massachusetts, wanted a new challenge and came to Philadelphia, following tim in Brooklyn, with both disciplines on the brain.
“I thought ‘I could live here for a year,’” he quipped, having spent 16 years, all in South Philly, in the City of Brotherly Love. “I knew that Philadelphia had a great reputation and that there were so many people eager to put on great work.”
Fighting through times where he felt he had lost his connection to the craft of acting, he reaffirmed his dedication through renowned theater teacher Irene Baird, with her tutelage and increased belief helping him to tackle pages and plots with aplomb.
“The whole idea of working on characters is more important than the quest to play certain characters,” Lipkin, whose incredibly impressive credits include turns as Shakespeare heavyweights Falstaff and Macbeth, said of appreciating the art rather than the potential for glory. “There is always so much to learn and to gather from other actors that each role is a blessing. That’s definitely the vibe among us, too, with this show.”
“Molly Sweeney” marks his second job for the Irish Heritage Theatre, with last year’s “Juno and the Paycock” by Sean O’Casey, in which he and Quinn also played a married couple, being his inaugural endeavor. Considering the entity a producer of really provocative works, he loves that he has been able to earn another occasion to further its focus on presenting emotionally-bare looks at life, which is a particularly admirable decision given that the theater is becoming Barrymore Award-eligible.
“I’m looking forward to a great run,” Lipkin, whose other employers include the Wilma Theater, New City Stage Co., and the South Philly-abundant Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium, said of the show, which will continue through Oct. 15. “I’m that guy who wants to get better each time out there because no matter what anyone says, experience is the best teacher.” SPR
Visit irishheritagetheatre.org.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com.
