Play By Play
Downstairs( 2017)
Play By Play
BRYCE BOYER, COURTESY OLD MILL ROAD MEDIA
Theresa Rebeck at her Vermont home
Downstairs( 2017)
Written by: Theresa Rebeck Directed by: Adrienne Campbell-Holt Starring: Tim Daly, Tyne Daly, and John Procaccino
Theresa Rebeck’ s compelling family drama, Downstairs, starring celebrated actors and real-life siblings Tim and Tyne Daly and John Procaccino, premiered at Dorset Theatre Festival in 2017. Initially sparked by a suggestion from the Dalys themselves, Rebeck describes the eventual creation and production of the play as“ one of the thrills of my life.” The powerful familial dynamic between Tim and Tyne Daly brought a deeply personal and organic depth to their performances. Rebeck recalls:“ The bond between the two of them is very loving and very idiosyncratic,” emphasizing how their genuine sibling chemistry significantly enhanced the emotional authenticity of the production.
Director Adrienne Campbell-Holt, a longstanding DTF collaborator, also points to the uniquely supportive atmosphere at Dorset as critical to the successful realization of the play.“ That play was born of Tim and Tyne’ s desire to do a play together, their trust in Theresa, and their trust in me,” Campbell-Holt explains.“ It’ s
Tim Daly and his sister, Tyne Daly, in Downstairs essential on a new play to feel safe when putting it up, especially something as personal as two siblings acting together for the first time. Dorset was incredibly open and nimble around what we needed.” She highlights the Festival’ s flexibility and responsiveness, which allowed the team to employ unique rehearsal techniques, facilitating meaningful script development and deep creative exploration.
Tim Daly remembers the experience of performing in Downstairs as exceptionally liberating, noting,“ The performance I wound up giving was so wild. It wasn’ t what I initially thought it would be, but Theresa and Adrienne gave me the freedom to have artistic adventures.” Daly highlights how the environment at Dorset provided a safe space for genuine creative exploration, free from the pressures typically associated with more commercial productions.“ We didn’ t know what the