Photo courtesy of Paul McComas
Amy Binder and Paul McComas
Honoring the 75th anniversary of the birth of actor-playwright Sam Shepard (1943-2017), Milwaukee expat Paul McComas and Chicago performer Amee Binder have been on the road with a version of Shepard’s play, the tragic comedy Fool for Love. They are bringing their production to McComas’ hometown in a benefit to raise money for the Alma Center, a Milwaukee nonprofit working with first-time domestic abusers to prevent recurrence, and Marquette University’s Center for Peacemaking. Off the Cuff sat down with McComas to discuss Fool for Love.
What draws you to the work of Sam Shepard?
I have decades of admiration for him, seeing his movies and seeing his plays at the Steppenwolf after I moved to Chicago. I have a kinship with his topics—The Atlantic magazine recently published a critique that said Sam Shepard saw it all coming—the link between political disconnection, family dysfunction, the demonization of the other.
Why perform Fool for Love?
It felt like an observation of America comparable to Steinbeck in his day, the dark side of the American Dream. It’s a romantic appreciation of the American West while exposing its dark underside. Fool for Love always rang true for me, and the characterizations are excellent—including the first fully realized female character in Shepard's canon. It’s also a metaphor for any couple whose love is in some way forbidden.
Did you modify Fool for Love for your production?
My adaptation of the play is 45 minutes long and has two characters. The original is 80 minutes long and has four characters. I trimmed it with great care and maintained Shepard’s stage direction—to perform it relentlessly without a break. The audience is trapped in a hotel room at the edge of the Mojave Desert with this star-crossed couple.
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You and Amee have added some music to the show?
We perform 25 minutes of "songs of foolish love," including three by Shepard’s sister Sandy Rogers, one by John Doe, one by Neko Case and an original. It’s a short set of Western-inflected songs that help set the stage.
Why perform it at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn?
Linneman’s is my Milwaukee venue, my bar when I’m in Milwaukee. Jim Linneman and I work together well, and I like the Riverwest neighborhood with its progressive boho vibe. The room allows people to be seated around the play in a semi-circle. It suits what we're doing.
Paul McComas and Amee Binder perform Fool for Love at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 1001 E. Locust St. Admission is $5. Tickets are available at the door.
