Gail Winar talks about starring in ‘Pen Pals’ Off-Broadway show

Gail Winar in ‘Pen Pals.’ Photo Credit: Russ Rowland.

Actress Gail Winar (“Trans Scripts”) chatted about starring in the Off-Broadway show “Pen Pals,” which was written by Michael Griffo, and directed by SuzAnne Barabas.

Background on ‘Pen Pals’

“Pen Pals” is the story of two friends that are pen pals (Bernie and Mags) that unfolds over five decades.

The play has a rotating cast of acclaimed actresses, so no two performances will ever be alike.

Winar is performing as Mags opposite Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding) as Bernie, and their performances run at the Theatre at St. Clement’s in New York until January 12th.

Playing her character Mags

On her experience playing Mags in the show, Winar exclaimed, “It has been fantastic. I originated the part at the New Jersey Repertoire Company.”

“We did a tryout run of three weeks with Nancy McKeon back in October in Long Branch New Jersey. That was a differently staged production that SuzAnne Barabas directed. She had a vision of this hybrid of a reading mixed with a full performance,” she elaborated.

“Mags is a complicated character; they both are, they are ordinary people,” she acknowledged. “This is a tale of the extraordinary in ordinary lives. In this play, there are many conflicts and that’s what ordinary people deal with all the time. That’s what our lives are made up of.”

Working with SuzAnne Barabas and Michael Griffo

“Michael, SuzAnne, Nancy and myself worked together as a collaborative team to edit the play to the 85 minutes that it currently runs,” she said.

“SuzAnne describes this play as a ‘roller coaster’ and you can’t get off of it, so in her opinion, there couldn’t be an intermission.” Winar said.

“You don’t want the participants on this ride to get off because it has this momentum and all these highs and lows. Then, it spins around at the end just like when you come into the station at the end of a roller coaster ride and the cars slow down,” she explained.

“Michael Griffo was so open to that collaborative process and we were really grateful for that,” she said. “Between the October run and this production, Michael did a lot of revisions of the script, so this particular run, is a slightly different production because it’s a different script.”

“What is exciting for me is that this is a different Mags,” she noted. “She has different layers and a slightly different perspective on things that the Mags I played at the New Jersey Repertoire Company.”

“Of course, part of that is the script but a part of that is also working with Nia Vardalos. She brings an entirely different set of amazing skills and talents and perspectives to Bernie. As Mags, I respond differently,” she elaborated.

Working with Nia Vardalos

On working with Nia Vardalos as her acting partner, Winar said, “Nia is just so talented, virtuosic, and she is just a ‘goddess.’ Nia is such a rich performer because she is also a screenwriter, director, and a producer, and she brings all of these rich experiences and expertise to the choices that she makes. It is like playing opposite a very talented tennis player.”

“Every time we go out there, Nia challenges me, and that is so exciting. Nia is a very giving partner. There is something new every night. There is literally never the same performance, and obviously the audience makes a difference,” Winar elaborated.

Performing for the New York audience

“There is also a synergy with the audience, and New York audiences are the best,” she exclaimed.

“They are very engaged… they laugh, they cry, and they are so involved. You can tell when the fans make connections,” she added.

Stage of her life

On the title of the current chapter of her life, Winar said, “It’s Never too Late.”

Advice for young and aspiring actors and playwrights

For young and emerging actors and playwrights, Winar said, “Your individual voice is to be valued. Sometimes, young performers and playwrights are trying to please a mentor, or a producer or a director, and they often compromise their own individual voice and their opinions.”

“I think that being specific about your individuality gives you a universality as an actor and/or a playwright. The more specific they are, the more universal, they are,” she added.

Lessons learned from this play

On the lessons learned from this play, Winar responded, “It taught me that it is okay to live with silence.”

“Long-term relationships, whether it’s a marriage or a partnership or a friendship has ups and downs, and you have to ride through them. You will only enjoy the ups if you ride through those downs,” she added.

Success

Regarding her definition of the word success, Winar said, “Success, for me, means a balance between family, happiness, and work. The work is not all my happiness but it has come to that after a long career. I really think that success is balance.”

To learn more about the show “Pen Pals,” check out its official website.

Read More: Review of Nia Vardalos and Gail Winar in “Pen Pals“