Something about storytelling has always called to Joey Saunders. Movies and books about people feeling different, like they belonged somewhere else, stand out as some of his earliest memories.
“[The Wizard of Oz] in particular—I feel like it’s such a cliche to say—but it was really moving for me as a little boy. I think that even at an early age, I was like, I want to tell stories like this.”
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Performing took a backseat as Saunders got older and turned his attention toward activism and advocacy, where he still tells stories, albeit in pursuit of racially equitable early education and care, not entertainment. But this month, those personal and professional experiences will together help inform his role in Stray Dog Theatre’s The Normal Heart, which opens June 9 at Tower Grove Abbey.
Saunders stars as Felix Turner opposite Stephen Peirick as Ned Weeks in this Larry Kramer-penned production, which follows Weeks as he campaigns for awareness during the early AIDS crisis in New York. Turner, a New York Times writer, enters a relationship with Weeks and keeps personal priorities at the forefront while the big picture around them grows ever bleaker.
“I think Felix is more pragmatic [than Ned] and he’s also decided that it’s important to have love in his life. And I think that he is the one person in the play that’s really willing to call Ned on his bluff that he doesn’t want that or prioritize love,” says Saunders. “Their perspectives are just so different in terms of their priorities while at the same time, I think Felix is extremely attracted to passion and intelligence. So they’re drawn together while also really frustrating each other, and that makes for great character dynamics that propel the story.”
Sarajane Alverson, Stephen Henley, Jeffrey M. Wright, Jonathan Hey, Michael Hodges, David Wassilak, and Jeremy Goldmeier round out the cast of characters, many of which are based on real people from Kramer’s life. Saunders’ Felix is the exception, having never been confirmed by Kramer as inspired by any one figure.
“I have a little more freedom, I guess, to define who my Felix is,” says Saunders. “But at the same time, all the other actors have these resources to draw inspiration from. The subject matter still comes with a great deal of feeling responsible for telling the story in a way that doesn’t feel overly melodramatic or like you’re exploiting an issue for the sake of drama. But I think we’re doing everything in a way that’s at once very thoughtful and grounded in the relationships. [Director Gary F. Bell] has been so thoughtful, not just about the physical movement and timing of the play but also in supporting us to really go deep in finding moments of light and camaraderie and helping us also understand that responsibility.”
Saunders says Bell, who saw Kramer speak in New York at the time the play was set and was volunteering with similar organizations to Kramer’s, has been an invaluable resource for the actors and creative team. That’s been especially true for Saunders, who is the greenest of the group. He says jumping into working with this team has been intense, but for this story, it’s worth it.
“It’s because of this play that I think I jumped back into [performing.] It was material that I personally find very moving and meaningful, and it was the exact character that I wanted to play,” he says. “I love that the company is named Stray Dog, because I do sort of feel like I’m like this adopted foster puppy that they took in, and were like, ‘Alright, good. You come on in and we’ll get you some training.’ It’s been so good.”
In addition to sharing Kramer’s play with audiences, Saunders is looking forward to pushing conversations further during a talkback with SDT artistic director Bell and other cast members following the June 10 performance. He says that the night will be a valuable tool for processing the play’s stories, as well as an opportunity to deepen the experience.
But whether through watching on your own or connecting and conversing with those around you, Saunders hopes that this production of The Normal Heart will help people feel immersed in another time and connected to its stories. He says they’re still particularly relevant, especially amidst a pandemic and in a state where there are still no statewide anti-discrimination laws protecting LGBTQ+ people.
“This is very much a snapshot of a moment in time. It’s so journalistic and almost documentary,” he says. “It’s really one of those things that’s like, Oh, this is actually a very timeless piece of art. For better or for worse.”
Stray Dog Theatre’s production of The Normal Heart runs June 9–25. Tickets are available at straydogtheatre.org.
