Seating Mr. Pacino
Story by: John Morogiello
Recorded: February 2009, New York, NY
Music: Marc Ribot
Music Coordination: Jeff Golick
Broadcast February 8, 2010 on KUT-FM's "O'Dark 30" (Austin, TX). Chosen by PRX as a January 2010 "News Station Pick of the Month."
It's only his second week on the job as house manager at a major American regional theater, and an icon of the modern cinema is paying a visit. That's when the embarrassing incident occurs, one which the house manager must clean up -- quickly, quietly, and literally -- putting every one of his newfound skills to the test.
JOHN MOROGIELLO is Artistic Director of Best Medicine Rep Theater Company. His plays have been produced off-Broadway, internationally, and at some of America's premier regional theaters, including Old Globe, American Players Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, NJ Rep, and Oldcastle Theatre Company. Awards include: Winner 2015 Dayton Playhouse Futurefest, 2015 Julie Harris Playwright Award, 2015 Boomerang Fund for Artists Grant, The Kennedy Center Fellowship of the Americas, Holland New Voices Playwright Award (Great Plains Theatre Conference), Mountain Playhouse International Comedy Playwriting Award, and Baltimore Magazine’s “Best Up and Coming Playwright.” He is a frequent contributor to Flagpole Radio Cafe. Mr. Morogiello’s articles have been published in The Washington Independent Review of Books, American Theatre, Dramatics, and in programs and study guides for Long Wharf Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, Everyman Theatre, and Belmont Playhouse.
HOW IT HAPPENED
John first told me this story when we were working on a play together in DC. I recall laughing extremely hard at the "punchline," delivered with as much irony as John could muster. I never forgot it, and sought him out so we could record it for Yarn.