Clavelli brings one-man show to Playhouse

By MILAN PAURICH

Entertainment@vindy.com

New Castle, Pa., native Chris Clavelli will be performing his autobiographical one-man show, “A Little More Than You Wanted to Spend,” in The Youngstown Playhouse’s newly remodeled Moyer Room at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

A 1979 graduate of New Castle High School, Clavelli is the associate artistic director of the Florida Repertory Theatre, an associate director at the Depot Theatre, and serves on the faculty of the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and the Cooper Union Connect Program. Among his numerous Broadway credits, Clavelli created the roles of Governor Slaton in “Parade,” Zoser in “Aida” and Professor Bhaer in “Little Women” (you can hear him on all three cast albums). He’s also done guest-starring roles on numerous television series, including “The Sopranos,” “Rescue Me” and “Law and Order.”

In preparation for his upcoming local performances, Clavelli sat down for an interview to discuss the genesis of his show. Directed by John Briggs, “A Little More” had its East Coast premiere in Pittsburgh last fall.

Q. Where did the inspiration for the play come from?

A. A few years back, my 6-year-old son, Jess, died suddenly. His death sent me into a maelstrom in which I would lose my marriage, friends, home and, eventually, my mind. I grew up a middle-class Catholic kid — lots of fights and football, so I was raised to be pretty strong. And that’s where we start the play, which sets up the premise: How tough IS this guy? Well, through it all, my love for my son and my undying hope to maintain a connection to his spirit kept me alive, and ultimately helped me discover what it truly meant to be tough. Yes, it’s a play about a fantastic kid dying, but mostly it’s the story of anyone who’s lost a loved one and wondered how they were going to wake up the next day. It’s brutally honest, a little bit twisted and also really funny.

Q. What compelled you to write such a nakedly autobiographical piece?

A. It started as an attempt to remember the hardest struggle of my life. Time was passing, and the events which once seemed so huge were becoming distant memories. I didn’t want to forget them. As bad as some of them were, they were a part of me. I started with a few notes and watched quite a bit of Spalding Gray’s work to inspire me, as well as some downtown performance artists in New York. I also read several books on grief and loss, including (Joan Didion’s) “The Year of Magical Thinking.”

Q. Has the experience been cathartic for you?

A. Yes, performing it is great, but very trying. It’s 75 minutes full out, and it requires me to be at my very best. Sometimes I’m just trying to play it like any other play, so I don’t think of it as a catharsis every night. Writing it was harder but very gratifying. I was going back into some very dark rooms. But when I was done, it felt great to see it on the page ... to relegate it to a piece of paper.

Q. How do you overcome the inherent pain of dredging up such tragic memories every time you perform the piece?

A. It’s not all pain. It’s also silly and touching and angry and very funny, just as life is. In our darkest moments, some special power gives us a laugh or an insight that carries us through and reminds us of the bigger picture. So I see it more as a celebration of life. That’s how I live my life now: as a celebration of my scars, not a denial of them. Putting that kind of pain away in a box is a recipe for disaster. The human heart needs air to breath and regenerate.

Q. Was is hard incorporating humor into such a tragic personal story?

A. I’m a very funny person. I’ve always seen the humor in the world, so it was always on my mind, even in the depths of tragedy. All of us who lived through it laughed a lot. We had to. We hung onto the laughter for dear life. It’s how I and many of my friends get by. But I have to say, as time passes, I’m able to really laugh again. And that’s very satisfying.

Q. How did the opportunity arise to perform the show in Youngstown.

A. Joe Scarvell, who’s been associated with the Playhouse for many years, was my drama teacher at New Castle High School. He changed my world completely. He got to me at a crucial time in my life, and literally saved me. I was lost in that big school, and he gave me a part and took me under his wing. I remember the time he and Eugene DeCaprio were running lines for a show, and Joe asked me to help. I still recall that day as one of the best in my life. They took me behind the magic curtain. I called Joe out of the blue a couple of years ago just to say hello. When I told him about the play, he made the rest happen.