1
Apr/10

TWI-NY TALK: JON STEWART AND STEPHEN COLBERT

1
Apr/10
Jon Stewart will get out from behind his desk to star in summer Shakespeare production with Stephen Colbert

Jon Stewart will get out from behind his desk to star in summer Shakespeare production with Stephen Colbert

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
The Daily Show Studios
733 Eleventh Ave. between 51st & 52nd Sts.
July 9-31, free, 8:00
www.thedailyshow.com
www.colbertnation.com

Every Monday through Thursday, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert go back to back, taking on politics and more in their hugely successful Comedy Central programs THE DAILY SHOW and THE COLBERT REPORT. They usually have weekends off, but this summer they will turn Stewart’s Hell’s Kitchen studio into the Globe Theatre as they team up for what promises to be a very different kind of Shakespeare experience.

On Friday and Saturday nights from July 9 through July 31, Emmy winners Stewart and Colbert will star in THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, rotating in the lead roles of Valentine and Proteus. They will be joined by Samantha Bee as Silvia, Kristen Schaal as Julia, Jason Jones as the Duke of Milan, John Hodgman as Antonio, Wyatt Cenac as Thurio, Lewis Black as Speed, Aasif Mandvi as Eglamour, and John Oliver as Lucetta. It is a bold undertaking for the close-knit team, who are as friendly off camera as they are on.

Stewart and Colbert recently sat down with twi-ny in our Murray Hill offices to discuss just what makes them think they can pull this off.

twi-ny: Of all the Shakespeare plays you could have chosen, why do THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA?

Stephen Colbert: It was really my idea. It’s one of Willie’s earliest plays, maybe his first, and it’s not very good. This way if we suck, we can blame him.

Jon Stewart: I think it’s actually a cry from Stephen that he’s always wanted the eleven o’clock spot ahead of me. By switching roles with me, he gets to pretend it’s like we’re switching our time slots.

Stephen Colbert will show his acting chops this summer in Bard play

Stephen Colbert will show his acting chops this summer in Bard play

twi-ny: Only a few members of the cast have had any acting roles, primarily small parts in modern-day lowbrow comedies. Do you think that could be a problem?

SC: Did anyone know Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, or any of those other “Hollywood types” when they first did Shakespeare in the Park? I think the only thing on Pacino’s resume was playing the old guy in those Pepperidge Farm commercials.

JS: Actually, Stephen, they were all pretty famous already, and had done a lot of Broadway and movies.

SC: I rest my case.

twi-ny: What do you hope to gain by this experience?

SC: Well, I’ve won a Grammy, an Emmy, and a Peabody, so I’m going for a Tony this time.

JS: Um, Stephen, we won’t be eligible for the Tonys.

SC: [pauses] Oh, then, money.

JS: We’re not charging admission, Stephen.

SC: It’s free?

JS: Yes, it’s free. Don’t you remember we discussed this?

SC: Yeah, but I didn’t think you were serious. [looks around] Can someone get my agent on the phone?

In addition to continuing their television series and appearing in THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart are currently preparing for the big-screen remake of the 1969 film THE APRIL FOOLS, playing the roles of Jack Lemmon and Catherine Deneuve, respectively.