By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Author
PASADENA — All through his showbiz profession, Alex Morris has achieved success as one in all Los Angeles’ premier theater actors.
His 40 years of performing, spanning tv, movie, and stage has established Morris as a multifaceted thespian with dynamic performing chops.
Throughout his theatrical tenure, Morris, a tall, strapping specimen with a salt and pepper mane, has portrayed advanced characters in well-liked, traditional productions at quite a few established theaters in and round Los Angeles.
Up subsequent for Morris, born in Chicago, and raised in a rural city (Pembroke Township) outdoors of town, is A Noise Inside’s manufacturing of August Wilson’s “Piano Lesson,” set to open Oct. 19.
“The Piano Lesson” is A Noise Inside’s fifth August Wilson manufacturing, approaching the heels of “Gem of the Ocean,” “Seven Guitars,” “Radio Golf” and “King Hedley II.”
“The Piano Lesson” is the fourth play in Wilson’s 10-play “American Century Cycle;” the second to win a Pulitzer Prize; and the fifth in A Noise Inside’s dedication to stage all of them.
Morris, who might be 70 in December, has appeared in all 10 of Wilson’s American Century Cycle performs. On this incarnation of “The Piano Lesson,” he portrays Doaker Charles, the patriarch of the household.
The play delves into the legacy of slavery and household historical past by way of the battle over a prized piano. It’s the third time Morris has performed Doaker.
“He’s the storyteller,” mentioned Morris, a married father of two, and great-grandfather of 1 (His grandson was murdered in 2022). “He has the household historical past. He’s the non secular middle. He’s the one everybody appears to be like as much as. Everybody resides in his home. He’s that ethical middle. One character is at all times the middle in August’s performs.”
Wilson’s work is widely known for its exploration of the African American expertise.
Every time he’s performed Doaker, Morris mentioned he discovers one thing contemporary.
“I don’t essentially change how I play him,” he mentioned. “Nevertheless it’s totally different as a result of the director has a special imaginative and prescient. Each time I get to do it, I be taught extra in regards to the character. Each time is a studying course of. The sweetness is … each time I do it … I be taught one thing new.”
Gregg T. Daniel directs “The Piano Lesson.” He mentioned he selected Morris to play the lead for an excellent cause.
“Expertise,” Daniel mentioned. “An unlimited quantity of expertise significantly with August Wilson’s work. It’s nice to have him, and for the remainder of the solid to expertise that as nicely.”
Daniel mentioned Morris possesses many qualities he was searching for in an actor taking part in the strong-willed Doaker.
“I used to be searching for a King Solomon-like knowledge that could possibly be a regular, steady, calming affect between the brother and sister,” Daniel mentioned. “Somebody who would carry civility and equity. A robust high quality that he possesses.”
Of all of the characters he’s performed in Wilson’s canon, Morris mentioned he most enjoys the function of Troy in “Fences” as a result of it reminds him of his father.
“Troy is my father,” mentioned Morris, who owns Glowing Metropolis Leisure Productions along with his spouse Vanessa. “Troy was a lot my father. Troy was a superb man defeated by the system and by society.
“My father had the illness of alcoholism. Troy’s ache was my father’s ache. He cherished his son however didn’t know methods to present it. He was a troubled, advanced man. He cherished his spouse and household arduous. The racism of this technique and the way society handled him was troublesome.”
When the Emmy-nominated actor (Ken in FX’s “Basket”), assesses what he’s completed in his profession, which began within the mid-Nineteen Eighties, he’s amazed.
“I’ve made a dwelling at this for 40 years,” mentioned Morris, a two-time Ovation Award winner, two-time L.A. Theater Critics Award recipient, and five-time NAACP Theater Award winner as an actor, producer and director. “I can’t consider it’s my life. I actually can’t consider it. On high of that, for 30 years, I’ve been married to a girl (producer/actress Vanessa Paul) I’m loopy about. This third act of my life is nice.”
Performing was not on the high of Morris’s bucket listing when he was youthful. He went to nursing college to turn into a licensed sensible nurse.
“I had aspirations to be a paramedic,” mentioned Morris, an organization member of A Noise Inside Theater. “I assumed that was what I used to be going to do. My first spouse was a creative director at a big theater firm in Houston. That’s the place I did my first play. I toured with a present referred to as, ‘The Diary of Black Males: How Do You Love A Black Lady?’ That’s the place all of it started.”
From there, Morris mentioned it was full steam forward. He immersed himself in all types of performing. He has appeared in quite a few made-for-TV motion pictures, notable tv collection and impartial movies.
At present, his intensive movie and tv credit embody “Abbott Elementary,” “Dawn in Heaven,” “Blind Fury,” “Powder,” “Wishbone,” “Keys to Tulsa,” “Guess Who,” “Magnum P.I.,” “Malcolm within the Center” and extra.
Except for Wilson’s canon of labor, Morris has been seen in “The Bluest Eye,” “Boys Subsequent Door,” “Antony and Cleopatra,” “All My Sons,” “Snowangel,” “T-Bone and Weasel,” “A Midsummer Evening’s Dream,” “The E-book of Will,” and extra.
There’s something about theater that continues to tug at Morris even after 4 many years of labor.
“I like the theater,” he mentioned. “I like the moment response from the gang. Six weeks from now the play and my work within the play will develop.
“With TV and films, the cash is nice. However there’s nothing like a reside viewers. There aren’t any second possibilities on stage. You possibly can see when an actor goes clean. I like dwelling on the sting each evening. I’m so into it, it takes me a few hours to wind down after I get residence.”
Each occasionally Morris likes to problem himself. He appeared on the Netflix American crime household drama, “The Household Enterprise,” and can seem within the spinoff, “The Household Enterprise: New Orleans.”
“I cherished each minute I obtained to play,” mentioned Morris, whose vocal inflections add depth to his already spectacular performances. “It began as in the future, one scene. Now I’m within the spinoff. I play a complete despicable character. It’s nothing like me. I get to do what I couldn’t do legally. The character curses and kills folks. I normally play good guys, dads. It’s good to play a man who will shoot you.”
After many years of giving notable performances, Morris desires extra.
“I pray the following factor I do would be the smartest thing I do,” he mentioned. “It’ll be what I’m most happy with. I would love it if each time I get on stage, they are saying, ‘He’s nonetheless good.’”
For Morris, performing nonetheless fills him up.
“It makes me pleased,” he mentioned. “I like taking part in different folks. I reside to work. God has offered me with what I wanted. He’s been so good to me. I wish to proceed to develop. I’m doing the sort of work I like. I’m so blessed. After I see God, I can shake his hand, and I can say, ‘Thanks, man.’”
“The Piano Lesson” is taking part in at A Noise Inside, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, by way of Nov. 10. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays by way of Fridays; 2 and seven:30 p.m. Saturdays; and a couple of p.m. Sundays.
Tickets vary from $20 to $51.50. Data: 626 356-3100 or www.anoisewithin.org.
The efficiency Oct. 24, is “Black Out Evening,” a possibility for an viewers self-identifying as Black to expertise the efficiency collectively. Tickets embody a post-show reception (non-Black-identifying patrons are welcome to attend or choose a special efficiency).
Darlene Donloe is a contract reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She may be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
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