Interview: August Forman, Aila Peck, Ryan London Levin, Ani Tonoyan of INDECENT at Theatre Latte Da

Paula Vogel’s INDECENT tells the true story behind Sholem Asch’s controversial play God of Vengeance and the people whose lives were changed by it. A story about art, censorship, love, and the freedom to tell stories that matter, the play explores a chapter of theatre history that still feels relevant today.

I spoke with August Forman, Aila Peck, Ryan London Levin, and Ani Tonoyan about their experiences with the production, the characters they play, and the moments they’re most excited for audiences to see. They also share which character they’d want to have dinner with and what makes this story so meaningful to them.

What is one thing about INDECENT that surprised you?

August Forman: I was not prepared for the Olympic feat that is Indecent. This show is a finely tuned machine. As actors, we’re having to think three steps ahead at all times simply because of how the show moves. I’ve done a lot of outdoor summer theater and I have never sweat like I have in this production. Despite its difficulty, this show is an actor’s dream, and I could do it for the rest of my life.

Aila Peck: Something that continues to surprise me about Indecent is how much the DNA is made of joy in the face of tyranny, and expression in the grips of oppression. Storytelling and art are integral to our survival as humans.

Ryan London Levin: I was blown away by the fact that the story is true. It covers a complex and fascinating moment in history that wasn't widely discussed until Paula Vogel's play brought it to light. Speaking with audience members after the show, you can see the impact of this story and feel how deeply it resonates today.

Ani Tonoyan: Indecent is deceptively simple to the actor. When you read it off the page as an actor- the character changes, time and location changes, and accent changes don't meet the eye with the same rapid urgency that it truly requires onstage. It was a beast of a show to put up in only a few weeks, and Paula Vogel masterfully crafted each scene and song to blend into each other with a seamless quality. The music is essentially the glue, and emotional heart, of the show. I am deeply thankful to our musicians for making those transitions between moments, places, characters, and scenes feel like a necessary and beautiful part of the production, as they so truthfully are. While this play is truly a mosaic that crosses time and space, the meta-quality and swirl of motion comes together extremely cohesively. But the energy and effort really never stops as the actor, as any drop In Focus or attention could throw a wrench into the flow of things. I am honored to be a part of the machine that is this cast. Throughout all of the complexity this play carries, and the tenacity it requires, we have carried each other through it energetically.

What is something about your character that inspires you?

August Forman: I just adore Lemml. Even when the entire world is stacked against him, when he’s mocked, even when the people he loves most give up, he still fights for what is right. Even in the darkest moments of our history, Lemml believes in the power and necessity of art.

Aila Peck: My character track is filled with the pursuit of love and passion. In almost every character, I feel a call to action in the direction of passion, expression, and discovery. A call to live deeply in our Truth. That inspires me every day. This play has changed my life. Thank you, Paula Vogel.

Ryan London Levin: The main character I play is the playwright, Sholem Asch. His fearlessness, passion, and internal drive as he battles the forces around him are compelling and exciting to bring to the stage.

Ani Tonoyan: Getting to play so many roles within one show, and returning to some more than the others, has been a delight. It has also been a challenge due to the nature of how quick these changes are, and having to fly off to the side of the stage and throw on a new costume piece, transform into new accents, ages, and walks of life. But each character brings a fresh and interesting perspective to what it means to be Jewish- and for that I am incredibly inspired. The ferocity and passion in which Madje Asch carries on behalf of her brilliant husband Sholem Asch's work is much of the reason we are telling this story today. Although women during that time period did not have the same foundation for artistic visibility as they do today, the way that we have historically driven the passion behind the cause is wholeheartedly relevant. Women are the heart behind and in our favorite stories and our favorite cultural forces. I am inspired by Madje's, and the other women I play on stage, desire to continue and cultivate the culture of the Jewish people, especially through the female lens. Though the themes and issues are urgent and universal, the feminist aspect is incredibly important to me as well.

What moment in the show are you most excited for audiences to experience?

August Forman: I honestly don’t think there’s one specific moment. I think this is one of those one-of-a-kind shows that sticks with you. This is the type of show that changes your brain chemistry as an audience member. I still remember the first time I saw Indecent. A show has never affected me more. For me, the moments of collective silence have been incredibly powerful and moving. You don’t feel alone at this show.

Aila Peck: I am most excited for the audience to experience the Ritz Theatre in all its history and legacy like they have never before. Having been built in 1926, you can almost feel the theatre vibrate listening with us about a time it was new and the world was not as different as we may hope.

Ryan London Levin: The music alone is enough to make your heart swell with emotion. Our small band of musicians is incredible; the moment they start playing, you are instantly drawn into our world.

Ani Tonoyan: Indecent as a stage play is fast-paced and super-charged with energy. But, there are some major tonal shifts throughout, which are striking and shocking. There are scenes in this play where you are forced to finally feel your own breath and embrace silence. These moments allow you to hear the dialogue, and the brilliance of Paula Vogel's relevant writing in a way that is almost unbearably vulnerable and intimate. The feeling that that creates for our audience is why I do theatre. Onstage, there are particular scenes where you can finally hear the audience breathe and let the story in in a completely different way, which has been a life-changing experience as an actor. Under the direction of Pirronne Yousefzadeh and the movement direction by Emily Michaels King, there are visual symbols that remain as solid pillars throughout the production, but carry new meanings in different parts of the play. I don't want to spoil these moments for anyone who has not seen the show- but it is truly breath-taking. I want everyone to experience it.

If you could have dinner with any character in INDECENT, who would you choose and why?

August Forman: This is tough! There are dozens of characters in this play I’d love to talk to and almost all of them were real people outside of this play. I think for a good time I’d have dinner with one of Ann Michel’s characters named Esther. Esther sounds like she’d have some wild stories. Out of pure curiosity, I’d also like to have dinner with Rabbi Joseph Silverman. Rabbi Silverman placed the complaint against the production of The God of Vengeance that ultimately resulted in the entire cast being arrested for indecency and the production being shut down. Truly tough question! I’d love to talk with so many!

Aila Peck: I would like to have dinner with Lemml. While I know it may not be easy to get him talking, I long to hear details on how The God of Vengeance was received differently by audiences depending on where in the world it was performed; how people were different or the same? What questions came up for audiences during the expansive tour? Where he felt most free? I am curious about how he sees the world. I would like to learn about who he is apart from his journey with Sholem Asch and The God of Vengeance. I would also be happy to simply sit with Lemml, drink a cup of tea, and watch a play without speaking.

Ryan London Levin: I would love to pick the brain of Sholem Asch. I find his work fascinating and his journey heartbreaking—I’m certain I could sit and listen to him talk all evening. I am also curious to know what he would think of the world today and what his work would look like in our current era.

Ani Tonoyan: It may be the most obvious choice, but as a deep lover of literature and writing myself, Sholem Asch. I would ask him many, many questions about his relationship with his Jewish identity and how it changed throughout the tragic history of The God of Vengeance, and the tragic history that he suffered through himself. I am Jewish on the Ukrainian side of my family, and so there is a deep history there that overlaps. I would talk to him about his inspirations for his writing, and ask questions about his courage in a time of violent anti-semitism. I would try to learn from him as not just an artist, but as someone who is living in a world where anti-semitism is in a terrifying place. In an age of censorship and a horrific cultural war, how can I contribute to the efforts to fight against the system as an artist? As a theatre artist, my only goal is really to write and perform things that will provoke thought and discussion, and Sholem did just that, at a time where people were also deeply unreceptive to many of the themes he wrote about.