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Actor Matt Orme claims that, when he was just out of college and appearing in a production of Macbeth, the director looked him over and exclaimed, "Good God, you've got the Barrymore profile – all three of them!"
That sculpted look should come in handy as Orme, a veteran of Louisville-area theatre, takes on the role of John Barrymore, the younger brother of Lionel and Ethel (and grandfather of contemporary actress Drew Barrymore), in William Luce's play Barrymore, scheduled at the Bunbury Theatre February 4-14.
Born in 1882, John Barrymore was once considered the finest actor of his generation, but also was known as the black sheep of America's most celebrated acting family. He enjoyed stage triumphs including Shakespeare's Richard III and Hamlet and also had great success in films until his talents were dissipated by alcoholism, philandering and other forms of high living.
Luce's script finds a ravaged Barrymore a few months before his death in 1942, rehearsing a revival (which never happened) of Richard III and reminiscing about episodes in his life.
"He is on the decline, most certainly," says Orme of the play's Barrymore. "But at the same time he still has that great heart. He has given up on his life, but he hasn't given up on Life. He believes there's still something out there… It really is a point in his life where he realizes he can't go on and yet it's all been worth it."
And the man known during his later years as the "clown prince" of acting royalty has kept his devilish sense of humor. According to Orme, Barrymore's attitude toward his current rehearsal is "I can't believe I forked up the money to rent this godforsaken dump for one night just to run a few goddamn lines."
The role allows Orme – an accomplished cabaret artist in his own right – a chance for some jokes and songs, along with impersonations of such figures from Barrymore's past as silent actor John Gilbert, gossip columnist Louella Parsons and, of course, his famous siblings Lionel and Ethel.
Barrymore was performed on Broadway by Christopher Plummer, whose full name, by the way, is Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer. (Orme can't specify a family connection but allows that, since both men can trace roots to England, "it's conceivable.") For his performance Plummer won the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics' Circle awards.
The play isn't technically a one-man show since there is a second character, a "prompter" called Frank who interacts with Barrymore. Orme says he's "played beautifully by a brilliant actor and a lovely, lovely man" – Ted Lesley, who has frequently shared the Bunbury stage with Orme.
"Deciduously," kids Orme when he's asked how he went about researching his role. Then he grows more serious: "I first knew of the Barrymores actually at a very young age. I'd read about them and knew that their influence on the American stage was huge and still carries over.
"But after looking at the script and doing some reading about John Barrymore, the project fascinated me (a) because of the theater lore and (b) because here is a man who was, in so many ways, trying to live up to his own legend."
Although Barrymore is directed by Steve Woodring, it was Bunbury's producing artistic director, Juergen Tossmann, who came up with the idea of having Orme perform the play. Orme recalls spotting the script one day in Tossmann's office and sneaking a look at the first page to see the character's entrance. "And I thought, what actor wouldn't want to come onstage pushing his own costume rack and singing 'Gal From Kalamazoo?' Is that an entrance, or what?"
Another Barrymore connection: Edmund Desiato, an actor friend in Lexington, has performed the role. Orme says his pal jokingly instructed a mutual friend, "If Matthew gets sick, just let me know."
Orme was born and grew up in Lexington and, although musically inclined, didn't work in theater until he was a senior at Lafayette High School there. He credits his parents, Howard and Evelyn Orme, with his own mordant sense of humor: "My mother was a science teacher and my father was a funeral director. I'd open a trunk and pull out a quart jar of cow eyeballs Mom was going to take to science class and hear my dad talk about the latest person he had cremated."
Some of Matt's early theater experiences were with high school classmate and pal Jim Varney, who would later gain fame as Ernest P. Worrell, the character in the "Hey, Vern!" commercials and the "Ernest" TV series and movies. The two worked together in plays and cabaret "before Jim went off to Nashville to make his fortune."
Orme, who has toured extensively as an actor throughout the South and Midwest, arrived in Louisville in 1982 after being hired by Bill McHale for Derby Dinner Playhouse when it was still an Equity company. He also worked for a number of other local companies including The Blue Apple Players.
In the mid-1980s Orme co-founded and performed with Cabaret Sauvignon, a group that created quite a sensation with appearances at Actors Theatre of Louisville and other venues. His wife, pianist Julie Allen, was the group's accompanist, and the other performers were Ann Hodapp and Tim Mathistad. Despite critical raves and a devoted following, Orme says, "we couldn't make a dime… I think quite frankly we were 10 years ahead of our time."
Invariably and endearingly, Orme refers to his wife as "my bride Julie." And in his bios in theater programs, he always credits the couple's "theatrically oriented cats Leslie (Nub) and Berkeley (Butkus)."
Orme has found his theatrical home in Louisville at Bunbury Theatre, where his first role was the Old Actor in The Fantasticks” in 1994. "From that very first time I felt very secure in working with Juergen," he says. "And I'll tell you why. I got up in my first rehearsal to deliver some of the Old Actor's lines, and Juergen stopped me. He said, 'Matt, he's a very good actor; he's just old.' And I went, 'Okay, we're connecting here!'"
Since then Orme has performed regularly at Bunbury in numerous plays including The Foreigner, The Lion in Winter, The House of Blue Leaves, Beyond Therapy, Moon Over Buffalo, Seascape, and several originals scripted by Tossmann including Autocare, Salvage Yard and Salvage Yard Revisited.
No matter the role, Orme has a reputation for delivering polished and compelling performances. In addition to the aquiline profile, he has a trim build, a dancer's grace and a mellifluous voice that can rumble or grow reedy at will.
He also has directed Bunbury plays including Beau Jest, Quilters and an exemplary production of David Lindsay-Abaire's Rabbit Hole.
Orme currently serves as artistic associate at Bunbury. With a typically mischievous twinkle in his eye, he claims this means "that I clean the restrooms a lot. But it also means that I have a responsibility about our product and that I share my input with the artistic director and do whatever I can to make sure that this theater will be around long after my ashes are scattered over the Mediterranean."
QUOTES FROM COLLEAGUES:
For Matt Orme, when it comes to theater work, the collaboration's the thing. "The director, the actors, the lighting person, sound – it's always a collaborative effort," he says. "That's what makes it worthwhile… I've been doing this for 40 years, and the friendships have been the best part of it. I've never worked with anyone I didn't like."
The feeling is obviously mutual. Here are comments from some of Orme's coworkers:
Juergen Tossmann, producing artistic director of Bunbury Theatre: "In 1993 I met this brutally handsome, lanky fellow who came to Bunbury on a whim. That whim has served us well over the years and brought me to a choice which I believe serves the theatre and pays reverence to this marvelously flawed art form that we value and treasure… Barrymore lives within Matt, and I marvel at his artistry. As a human being he's as generous as they come."
Fran Levy Westerman, actress: "Matt is such a pleasure to work with because he brings his considerable talent to the table but leaves his ego at home."
Steve Woodring, director of Barrymore: "A great talent who also loves the theatre. Loves everything about it. Wallows in it. So Barrymore is right up his alley, and he's attacking it like a starving animal. Tearing it to pieces. That's the way he works, of course. Crawls inside each character and lives there for the duration. It's a wonder to behold, terrifying sometimes. You'd think he'd be unbearable in the process, but he's not. Through it all, he's one of the best, most pleasant human beings I've had the privilege of knowing. I really love the guy."
Ted Lesley, actor and costar of Barrymore: "I've had the honor of working with Matt as both director and actor. He continues to be the consummate professional. Sharing the stage with him is always a pleasure and a learning experience."
Ric Viscioni, sound designer: "He's always such a gentleman and a source of inspiration to coworkers. As a director he respects his colleagues and is willing to listen to their opinions."
Tim Mathistad, director of operations for The Blue Apple Players and former member of Cabaret Sauvignon: "Matt prepares better than anyone I know. His ability to take a role and make it his own is quite legendary, and musically his abilities are limited only by the notes on the page… I will always cherish his friendship and appreciate his involvement in the arts."
WHAT: Barrymore by William Luce, starring Matt Orme, directed by Steve Woodring
WHEN: February 4-14, various times
WHERE: Bunbury Theatre, The Henry Clay Building, 604 South 3rd St.
TICKETS: (502) 585-5306 or www.bunburytheatre.org
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Matt Orme as Barrymore
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ADD A COMMENT
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Theatre Lou.
sun jan 24 2010
at 1:50 pm
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Roger Fristoe starred in Pandora Productions' "I Am My Own Wife," directed by Rand Harmon, last spring. For years, he was a film critic at the Courier-Journal, and now writes for Turner Classic Movies' monthly magazine. We're thrilled to present his profile of Matt Orme. |
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Sherry Deatrick
mon jan 25 2010
at 1:09 pm
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Thanks for your comments and suggestions, Alida.
The great thing about the internet though, is that we don't have to worry about limited space while we are competing with ads, as in a print medium.
Roger's piece was thoroughly researched and he went to a lot of effort to write this. I felt it would be a shame to trim any of this fine work by a professional journalist. |
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Laurene Scalf #322440
wed jan 27 2010
at 5:27 pm
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But this isn't a review. It's a profile, and I, for one, enjoyed the scope of it. |
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Juergen Tossmann #322859
mon feb 01 2010
at 4:00 pm
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Dear ArtbyAlida
Perhaps you can come to the show and write your own review. As Laurene said below, this is a profile. It's nice that Theatre Louisville is working with professionals such as Roger and that Mogo is posting profiles such as this. It gives the public a chance to read in depth if they so choose. |
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Nancy Hoover #323184
fri feb 05 2010
at 2:05 pm
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An excellent article by a lovely man, about a lovely man, who is supported onstage by another lovely man. Don't miss this show! |
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