Interview: Drew Rausch On In-House Inspirations For His InHouse Theatre Company

A positive person with a healthy outlook on life, Drew Rausch has turned a major lemon into lemonade and, in the process, still manages time to help fight cancer! One of the founding members of InHouse Theatre Company, Drew took time from their now fifth production DINNER WITH FRIENDS to chat with BroadwayWorld and myself. (Previous InHouse Theatre shows have include Harold Pinter's BETRAYAL, Kenneth Lonnergan's LOBBY HERO, Steven Dietz' PRIVATE EYES and Conor McPherson's THE WEIR).

Thanks for making time for this interview, Drew. What was the catalyst for forming InHouse Theatre Company?

Wanting to work. I was and am involved with a sort of artist's collective started by Raphael Sbarge and known as "the Lab." In 2013, I got mauled by a Range Rover while I was driving a motorcycle. After a week in the hospital and four surgeries, I found myself laying on my couch eating pills. Some friends from the Lab came over to keep me entertained and creatively active and we read Harold Pinter's BETRAYAL. As soon as we finished the reading, we knew we wanted to produce it. So we did. We rehearsed when we could and where we could. Most of those rehearsal were at Beth Schmidt's house. As we began looking for places to perform the show, Bryce McBratnie remarked, "It's just not going to feel right doing this play anywhere but Beth's house!" Rob Welsh's eyes lit up and he began his campaign to convince Beth. Six months after my accident, Beth and her husband Matthew Peskay graciously opened up their home to us...and audiences of 25 of our closest friends. After two successful runs a few months apart, we knew we had something special. So Rob Welsh, Elizabeth Schmidt, Mark Jude Sullivan, Bryce McBratnie and I sat down in a coffee shop to talk and InHouse Theatre Company was officially born. We continue to innovate and create uniquely intimate and theatrical experiences for our audiences, all the while motivated by our collective hunger to make our own work.

What criteria did you look for in choosing a site for your productions?

Obviously the play we choose goes a long way towards narrowing our search. We try to match the space to the mise-en-scene described by the playwright. We want people watching these events where the story is actually happening. We also have to make sure to secure a space large enough to allow for a small audience of 25+ people. After that, it's a matter of leg work, cold-calling, pitching and favor-asking. As we have grown, so have our spaces. Our reputation for quality has really started to make some amazing spaces possible. This new relationship with the Filipino Federation of America is a perfect example. The Moncado Mansion and Estate is a spectacular home and a truly memorable place to watch DINNER WITH FRIENDS.

How did you come upon the Moncado Mansion for your current DINNER WITH FRIENDS?

I think one of the keys to a happy life is surrounding yourself with good people. I've been fortunate enough to be on some pretty cool TV shows and work with some amazing people that have become life-long friends. Years ago I played a real bad dude on The Closer. (I killed my friend over money and stuffed him in a cooler. I'm in jail for a long time in that show's world.) The Line Producer on that show is a fella named Andy Sacks. We were friends before I was on the show, but nowadays he is one of my closest friends. Andy had helped us get the lobby at Raleigh Studios where were set our production of LOBBY HERO. Every dime donated to us from that production went to a charity that Andy has been involved with for years: The Sunshine Kids. Look 'em up. They're cool. They help kids with cancer. When we ran into trouble finding a location for DWF, I called Andy and asked for help. He put me in touch with Andree Juviler, their location manager. She in turn set me up with the company that represents The Moncado Mansion: Zone Locations and Dave Mortell. Dave worked with me for weeks hammering out all the details. He was and is a huge part of making this show happen. It took a lot of work and several favors from some incredibly gracious people, but ultimately we are elated to call The Moncado Mansion "home" for most of these shows. We are incredibly grateful to Dave Mortell and The Filipino Federation of America for making this location possible.

What can your audience expect in attending Donald Margulies' DINNER WITH FRIENDS?

The opportunity to witness the private conversations, experiences and moments that we all have, but that no one ever gets to witness. They can expect to be entertained. They can expect to be challenged. They can expect to be asked questions.

Does everyone need to wear comfortable shoes?

Probably a good rule for this show. And for life, really, right? The play takes place in seven different rooms on three stories. Spiked heels might get old.

Were any of the shows you produced period pieces? Did you suggest your audience dress the part?

Everything we've done so far has been pretty modern. PRIVATE EYES was set mid-to-late 90's, so costumes were a little period, but certainly not, say, Elizabethan or anything. For the most part, we want our audiences to feel like they are witnessing a story they are not part of, but allowed to observe. We try to offer clandestine observation. We have had many a person describe moments during our shows by saying they felt like they were watching something they weren't supposed to be seeing. That's the sort of privacy and intimacy we are going for.

You just recently partnered with a caterer to enhance your DINNER WITH FRIENDS experience. What did you learn from that partnership?

Man, was that cool. We certainly learned how loud metal silverware on a glass plate can be! Won't make that mistake again. But that collaboration was really special and something I am definitely interested in doing again. Engaging more senses to further immerse an audience in the world of the play is exciting to me, and I think compelling for our audiences. Using food, taste and smell to help tell a story or set a scene is really cool. And this play in particular - the way it explores intimate relationships and how they evolve - food is a great way to help do that. There is so much food in the play. Eating a meal together is a communal and powerful thing. It suggests a familiarity and closeness that is significant. Plus the food was amazing! Chefs Becky Reams and Jean Valcarcel fed our guests WELL!

What aspects of a play do you look for in choosing an potential InHouse Theatre Company production?

Great writing. Great storytelling. Everything we've selected so far has been a piece that some or all of the company just felt passionate about wanting to present. I look for pieces that tell resonant stories about our common humanity. There are certainly some practical considerations like cast size and setting, too. We try to stick with smaller cast sizes. When you're audience is only 30 people or so, you want to make sure your cast is outnumbered! And with locations, we need to make sure we have a play that doesn't change settings too drastically so we can create an accurate environmental experience that represents the intended settings of the playwright.

How often do you audition non-company actors for your shows?

We haven't yet. Everyone in the company has been working in LA for a while. When a play requires something that we don't have in the company already, we reach out to those good people and great actors we've been fortunate enough to meet along the way.

What degree did you graduate from Notre Dame with? In a fall-back subject or in the arts?

Communications & Theatre, baby. No fall back. But law school was a possibility for a while.

You booked your first professional gig at 18 while still at Notre Dame. Tell our BroadwayWorldreaders all about that job.

It changed my life. It really did. I started at Notre Dame as an engineering major. Then I met Artistic Director Bonnie Monte and she brought me to Jersey. After my experience at The New Jersey Shakespeare Festival (now the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), I went all in. Communications and Theatre. That was my first time being part of a professional entertainment atmosphere. I saw firsthand the joy and creativity that can be born of artistic collaboration. That is an inspiration that still informs all the work I do. In directing this play, one of my primary focuses was establishing an atmosphere for my collaborators to be able to play and explore every creative impulse and option. This show is built on collaboration. This show is alive and different every night. This show celebrates ongoing creative choice and the great beauty of Live Theatre and life: impermanence.

When did you say aloud, "But what I really want to do is direct!"?

Ha! Oh, God. At some point in college, I'm sure. And I'm sure it got a laugh.

How many different show would InHouse Theatre Company like put out there in 2017?

As many as we can! We're already in rehearsal for our next show, which will likely open in January. And here's the plug...InHouse Theatre Company on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram for details as they are announced or inhousetheatre.com

Any possibilities you'd like to share with us?

We're working on getting the rights to a Richard Greenberg play. That'll be cool. And we'd really love to do our first original work. We have a couple very talented writers that we have been developing plays with that are written specifically to be performed in our immersive style. Next year is going to be fun.

Thank you, Drew!

For remaining tickets to DINNER WITH FRIENDS' final performances in October and information on their future productions, log onto www.inhousetheatre.com