Behind the Scenes, Filming Episode 3 with Joyce Piven and Joan Cusack

March 30th, 2011

Fear No ART Chicago airs on WTTW on March 31 @ 10 PM, April 3 @ Noon, April 6 @ 10:30 PM and April 23 @ 11:30 PM. It also airs on WTTWPrime on April 1 @ 4 PM, April 7 @ 4:30 PM and April 9 @ 5 PM

Our shoot day started at 7:30 AM in West of Ukrainian Village with Blair Thomas, so by the time we get to The Piven Theatre Workshop in Evanston at 4:30 PM, we are already very tired.

We shoot the intro and outro to Joyce’s segment before she arrives, but I am nervous for Joyce to come. I want to make sure I do justice to this living legend and her incredible legacy – – celebrating its 40^th anniversary – – The Piven Theatre Workshop. And Joyce herself is an incredible triple threat: an actress, a director, and an unwavering teacher. So many in Chicago – famous and not famous – have studied with her under the warm, experimental community of the Piven Theatre Workshop.

Joyce arrives, perfectly on time. She is as gracious and elegant as ever. Just her general demeanor puts me at ease and I know the interview will go well. But I have other worries: I have invited Joan Cusack to talk about her early years with The Piven Theatre Workshop. Will she come? In a few sporadic emails she has said that she wants to if her schedule will allow. Now with the pending snow storm and 5 PM traffic, I still have no real confirmation if she is coming. And how long can I ask my crew to wait? Due to the tiniest of tiny budgets, these are incredibly long days and over-time is a big request.

Smack dab in the middle of interviewing Joyce, Joan arrives on stage! I am in a bit of shock having figured with the snow and her long work schedule, it just wasn’t in the cards. And hearing Joan talk about what Joyce has meant to her and her career – – it is a bit of an emotional moment!

Don’t miss this rare interview with Joyce Piven and Joan Cusack. Check out Fear No ART Chicago, airing on WTTW on March 31 @ 10 PM, April 3 @ Noon, April 6 @ 10:30 PM and April 23 @ 11:30 PM. It also airs on WTTWPrime on April 1 @ 4 PM, April 7 @ 4:30 PM and April 9 @ 5 PM.