Interview-Doug Shapiro* (Dr. Ian Lieb)
Doug Shapiro’s tall figure and distinctive head of dark curly hair makes him a
natural for Dr. Ian Lieb, part of the married pair of shrinks at the center of Love! That 4-Letter
Word. Doug, at 38, matches well the midlife crisis-stricken Dr. Ian and his infatuation with
office receptionist Venus. Doug comes to us from Miller Place, NY.
What bought you to NYC?
Car. I was a Boston actor and had met a few milestones:
I had been there for seven years (seven-year itch), turned 30, achieved membership in the three
main actors unions, had two older artists I greatly respect tell me it was time.
Is it a career for you? How do you feel about that?
People keep hiring me to do stuff, they hire me back,
and I haven’t been fired yet. I’d call that success.
What do you like most about your character in Love!?
Dr. Ian is actively trying to figure things out
instead of just assuming he knows everything. He’s still in the intellectual struggle.
I admire that.
Any personal stage stories we should hear?
My best friend and I were touring the Deep South,
playing all the roles in Shakespeare for Kids. In an auditorium of 3rd graders.
I was playing Shakespeare, and she my benefactor. She leaves the stage to change for
her next role. I begin to talk and introduce myself and suddenly the lights go out in an
auditorium with no windows. Picture six hundred 3rd graders in the dark.
“Well,” I say, “the lights have gone out…and the
reason they have gone out (uncomfortable pause), is to highlight the importance of language. . .
such as in my sonnets,” and out of my tuchus I pulled Sonnet 29, which I had not done since college.
They applauded, a teacher propped open a fire door to bring in the outside light, and we went on.
In my most recent production, Half A Sixpence,
I played Chitterlow, an eccentric British actor. During a scene where I am reenacting the great
Sir Henry Irving’s performance in The Bells--in which he’s committing an axe murder nobody
knew about--an audience member’s cell goes off. Using the book I was holding, and miming
using the axe, I cried out; “and--don’t –ever--bring --cell --phones --into – a--theatre,” with
an axe swing for each word. There was applause. It was one of those golden times when you think
of the right thing in the moment, rather than two beats too late.
Your favorite personal love story
The moment I first knew I loved my husband.
I saw him turn on Ricky Martin and start dancing with our African Gray parrot,
and I thought, “Oh boy, I’m in love again!” They were both flapping their wings.
Your favorite old love song?
"I Can’t Get Started With You" - the Ella Fitzgerald
version. But I proposed to my husband with Josh Groban’s “When You Say You Love Me”
(transposed down a fifth.)
Favorite place for a date in NY and why
Our favorite is La Bonne Soupe, Very classy.
He has his French onion soup, I have the chicken dish that I like, and then the chocolate
mousse. We’re also huge fans of Henry’s End, right over the Brooklyn Bridge on Henry Street
in Brooklyn. We went there for our first wedding anniversary and will be going there
again this June for our second (along with his parents, who will be celebrating their fiftieth.)
We also love Burger Joint, hidden behind the red curtain in the lobby of Le Parker Meridian
hotel on 56th Street.
Is romance alive today? How do you know?
Of course it is, and I know because I’m in love.
I do notice people overthinking their way out of potentially great relationships.
They keep trying to correct whatever wrongs they’ve imagined rather than letting go
and appreciating what is there. Especially New Yorkers, who are always hustling for
something just a little bit better on every front. Take a breath, people. Be loving
and love gets created.
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