In this conversation, David Bryan speaks with Steve & Rick Simone-Friedland about their recent play, 'Kind Stranger,' which is adapted from Tennessee Williams' memoir. They discuss their creative process, the challenges of performing a one-person show, and the importance of queer narratives in theater. The duo reflects on their personal and professional relationship, the audience's reception of their work, and their plans for future productions. Kind Stranger depicts the poignant journey of Tennessee Williams as the legendary playwright recounts his life, art, and love affairs. Witness his wit and unflinching honesty as he writes his last chapter, revealing how his plays were his life and his life was his plays. Adapted directly from his memoir and using only his words, Kind Stranger could be the last original Tennessee Williams play. Steve and Rick Simone-Friedland, a married couple, went into the project wanting to use the words and humor of one of the greatest American Playwrights as the foundation of this play. Fresh from a successful but all too brief opening in New York, Rick (actor) and Steve (director/writer) are currently actively working toward bringiing 'Kind Stranger' to audiences in other cities. Steven Simone-Friedland (Adaptation & Direction) is an independent, freelance filmmaker residing in Los Angeles, California. He has directed, written, produced and edited a number of short film and television projects including [sic], Togetherness, and Sunday Cup of Coffee which was awarded the CineEast’s. Golden Eagle Award, the Herman Kass Fellowship in Filmmaking, the Rita Morrison Best Director’s Award, and the AMPAS Award in Motion Picture Production. As an editor, Steven edited the feature documentary, The Yes Men Are Revolting and Donner Pass, and the television pilots, Group & Techno 3. When not pursuing film & tv projects, Steven serves as series editor on such Bravo shows as Real Housewives of Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Orange County and Dubai, Vanderpump Rules, Below Deck, Family Karma, MTV’s Siesta Key and HBO’s Queen of Versailles Reigns Again. Steven’s Los Angeles theater directing credits include critically acclaimed productions of Ourselves Alone, Oleanna, Betrayal, Scenes of an American Life, and Imagining Rachel, which received its World Premiere at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Steven is a graduate from Northwestern University’s theater department and received his MFA in filmmaking at UCLA. Rick Simone_Friedland - Concept & Performance Emmy Award© winner, Rick Simone-Friedland, is known to television audiences for his work on, Married People, Just the Ten of Us, A Year in the Life, Life Goes On, KC Undercover, and as Joe Pistone in the Discovery Series Mob Scene. Theatre audiences may know Rick from roles in George C. Wolfe’s production of The Me Nobody Knows, Ken Page’s production of Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, or as Bruno in The Theatre West production of Moose On The Loose. Rick recently completed filming roles in the films How Do You Fall Out of Love With Country Music, Boystown, and Some Sorta’ Queerar https://www.kindstrangerplay.com/
