Above photo courtesy of Renee Taylor/Berkshire Theatre Group
There is what some might call “conventional wisdom” that suggests a certain age for retirement and, with grace, a gentle fade into quiet oblivion. People of that certain age have had their moments in the sun, their 15 minutes of fame and, mercifully, it’s time to recede into the shadows and let succeeding generations step into the spotlight.
Apparently, Renée Taylor never got the memo.
Unafraid of the truth, Renée is a sprightly 92 years old and shows no signs of stepping back from a legendary world on stage and screen. Her new play, Dying is No Excuse, opens at Berkshire Theatre Group’s Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, MA, on August 7. Front and center will be the incredible theatrical presence of Renée Taylor … playing herself and summoning the faces and forces of her life and love with late husband Joe Bologna.
Taylor’s resume spans stand-up comedy, starring stage roles, television, and film as actor, writer, director and producer. From winning an EMMY for her role on The Nanny as Fran Drescher’s mother to being an OSCAR nominee with her husband Joe Bologna for adapting their Broadway hit Lovers and Other Strangers for the screen, her resilience and comedic insight is legendary.
Dying is No Excuse is Renée’s tribute to her 52-year marriage to Bologna and, in her words, is a “memory play that affirms how important it is to believe in love.” Written while the world was on pause during the COVID epidemic, Taylor contends that her deep connection with Bologna continues to offer influence and insight long after his death in August, 2017. “Oh, he approves,” she offers with great confidence. “We were made for each other, and this is my way of telling how important that bond was, even after he passed.”
A family affair
Adding to the creative energy surrounding the presentation of the play, which runs through August 30, is the director whose overwhelming resume calls up memories that reach back to some of the most iconic live comedy, plays, and films of the past 70 years – Elaine May. From appearing with Mike Nichols in a stand-up, improv comedy act that literally changed the trajectory of American comedy to directing feature films and capturing screenwriting credits for such notable offerings as Heaven Can Wait and Birdcage to Primary Colors, Elaine May is, at 93, an American icon.
It’s perfect. Pass it along.
Along the arc of her career, May wrote two plays that were, under then Artistic Director Arthur Penn, presented at Berkshire Theatre Festival. When long time friend Taylor asked May to read her newest play, the expected tenuous moments became real. Praise the piece because they’ve been friends so long … or be honest if the work isn’t be as good as it might be? A dilemma that was intensified then resolved as May finished reading and fell silent.
“You didn’t laugh much. Do you hate it?” Taylor tentatively asked. “Perfect” was Elaine May’s one word answer.
With clear intent, May got in touch with Matthew Penn, Arthur’s son and a producer and director in his own right, who had been a driving force at Berkshire Playwrights’ Lab. He in turn passed along the play to Kate Maguire, the current artistic director and CEO of Berkshire Theatre Group. The circle was complete. Could the play get the “green light” for production this summer?
After all, Kate Maguire had gained national celebrity in her own right when her tenacity and bravado broke through the live production stalemate during the COVID epidemic by getting the approval of Actor’s Equity and bringing a breakthrough production of the musical Godspell to the tented parking lot of BTG’s Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA.
Was the reward this time greater than the risk?
After a May directed reading in New York over the winter, Maguire’s mind was made up. “The play is a heartfelt tribute and Renée’s timing was amazing. She’s still got it!” The play was put on the summer schedule with May agreeing to direct and Taylor appearing as herself.
Live, laugh, love
Renée Taylor has been quite open about the magic of her marriage to Joe Bologna. After a whirlwind three and a half month courtship that culminated with a wedding broadcast on The Merv Griffin Show, the two went on to collaborate as a creative team, as parents, and always as deeply connected friends. Death is No Excuse captures the creative energy, the challenges, and the underlying laughter that was at the heart of their lives. All of this is shared with unwavering honesty.
Caution
There is certainly something compelling about the opportunity to see theater giants presenting deeply personal moments live on stage. Dying is No Excuse is fully within that realm. Forewarned is forearmed. The Unicorn Theatre offers unobstructed views of the stage in a very intimate setting. “Intimate” means, in simple terms, not many seats. The farthest seat is only five rows from the stage. If this were a Blue Man Group show, we’d all be wearing rain ponchos. That’s a very intimate theater.
When we were assembling the pieces for this story, we checked on the pre-sales for the play. Without overly dramatic emphasis TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!
All right, that was a bit dramatic, and so it was intended. Tickets will be a rarity as the season progresses. Those inclined to count themselves in the audience for this “one of a kind” event had best check the Berkshire Theatre Group website and act fast. This is simply the truth of it all, not an unsolicited promotion. Don’t let the moment pass. After all, Dying is No Excuse. •
To learn more about this performance and others at the Berkshire Theate Group, visit their website at berkshiretheatregroup.org.