Marc Alaimo - THEATRE - PART III (1980-2010)

 “I love the theatre – it’s my soul. I can do one television movie and suddenly I’ve performed in front of more people than all my years in the theatre, but the stage is still a magic place to be.” - Marc Alaimo, 1998 

Photo credit: John Peter Weiss

This is the final part of my three-part series on Marc Alaimo’s amazing theatrical career. In this post, we focus on 1980-2010, in which Marc further pursues his first love, the theatre, while continuing his successful film and TV career.

Read Part 1 here 

Read Part 2 here

PART 3 - 1980-2010

Theatrical roles became a little bit more spread out during this era, since Marc was working steadily in films and television.

In 1980, Marc became part of the Stage Door Theatre in Agoura, California. Originally a gas station and market, the space was transformed into a 49-seat theatre by its founder, Gale Trumbeaux. One of his first ventures with the Stage Door was as director of a very successful production of “Gas Light” sometime in 1980-1981.

That fall, Marc returned to the stage as Teddy Lloyd in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” at the 84-seat Theatre of Light, located on the upper floor of the Hollywood Methodist Church. In April 1982, he was back at the Megaw Theatre as Amos in “The Queen and the Rebels,” and in December 1982 into January 1983 portrayed Sgt. Jack Delasante in “A Prayer For My Daughter” in Theatre C at the Richmond Shepard Studio Theatre in Hollywood. 

“The Queen and the Rebels was an exceptionally challenging play with an outstanding ensemble cast that brought the futuristic style to life with ferocity.” - Elaine Moe, director, Feb 2021 

“Marc Alaimo as the drug addict cop approaches his role realistically, in contrast with the others, who just remain characters.” - Ken Dickmann, LA Weekly, Jan 20, 1983 (“A Prayer For My Daughter”)

Marc was festival director at the Stage Door during the 1983 spring season, which consisted of two light comedies, Shaw’s “Village Wooing” and Noel Coward’s “Fallen Angels.” 

In the summer of 1985, he was part a new play, “The Rattle of the Moon” at the Burbage Theatre in West Los Angeles. Marc played Neal, the father of a dysfunctional family grappling with interpersonal relationships. Leslie Hope, who played Kira Meru in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night,” appeared as his daughter in the play.

“As to Marc, I remember him as having a powerful countenance and that specific role allowed him the opportunity to release it with all the tremendous force he had at his disposal.” - Erich Anderson, fellow cast member of “The Rattle of the Moon,” Feb 2021 

In 1986, Marc joined the company at the prestigious Old Globe Theatre in San Diego to play Cassius in a contemporary production of “Julius Caesar.” The play was incredibly well-received and Marc looked amazing in the role. 

Photo credit: John Peter Weiss

“Marc Alaimo is equally excellent as Cassius, he of the lean and hungry look, instigator of the plot against Caesar in the name of patriotism and the greater good of Rome. Alaimo brings to the usually villainous Cassius subtle shadings that sometimes ennoble Cassius and never fail to humanize him.” - Bill Hagen, San Diego Union-Tribune, Jul 19, 1986

 “Marc Alaimo is all intensity and ambition as Cassius…” - Michael Flachmann, Theatre Journal, 1987

“A splendid cast clearly and convincingly pronounced Shakespeare’s tragedy, with [a] particularly fine performance by Marc Alaimo as Cassius.” Frances L. Bardacke, San Diego Magazine, Sept 1986

Photo credit: John Peter Weiss

“Marc Alaimo is understated yet intense.” - D. Larry Steckling, Drama-Logue, Jul 31-Aug 6, 1986

“Marc Alaimo strikes off some convincing sparks as Cassius.” - George Weinberg-Harter, Blade Tribune, Jul 31, 1986

“Marc Alaimo is deliciously evil as Caius Cassius.” - Elena-Marie Koster, San Marcos Courier, Jul 24, 1986

“As Cassius, the mercurial fanatic whose quirks and fumings are in stark–and appropriate–contrast to the stoical Brutus, actor Marc Alaimo is also impressive…Brutus and Cassius repair the eroding bond of their friendship and Vickery and Alaimo’s efforts not only pass the test, they are excellent.” - Jeff Smith, The Reader, Jul 31, 1986

April 1987 saw Marc starring as Elia Kazan in the historical fiction play, “Names” with the Burbank Theatre Guild. Housed in a tranquil park, the Guild’s Burbank Little Theatre was the ideal location for live performance.

In August 1988, Marc returned to the Stage Door Theatre in Agoura to star in “Educating Rita” as Dr. Frank Bryant. The audience was so enraptured by his performance that even when the air conditioning broke and it was sweltering in the theatre, everyone stayed for the full show! Now that’s a magical evening!

“It is a gigantic tribute to the acting abilities of Marc Alaimo that a rapt audience sat intently through 90-plus-degree heat (and a failure of the theater’s air-conditioning system) to applaud...It is a joy for both an audience (and an occasionally jaded critic) to see actors who dive into their roles with such apparent relish.” - Dina Adler, Thousand Oaks News Chronicle, Sept 9, 1988

Marc was a dedicated member of the Stage Door and praised its founder, Gale Trumbeaux, highly in an LA Times article: “Gale’s no prima donna…she vacuums, cleans the bathrooms and books the cast and crew of every play. She also begs, borrows or steals the props and scenery.” He told The Los Angeles Daily News in 1988: “If it wasn't for Gale…the theater wouldn't be here. There are some wonderful things that are done in this little space."

Trumbeaux said of the theatre in 1988: "The actors can do the little things with feeling. That's possible with a little stage. You can almost cry on stage and someone can pick up on it. It's a good base to work with."

Community theatre takes the support of everyone–from its audience to its company–and the Stage Door thrived throughout its life through the dedication of everyone involved. Sadly, the original theatre shuttered in 2008, but its legacy lives on through the memories of its patrons and players.

“No regional theatre is self-supporting, it must be supported. And there are so many things a theatre can do for a community. It has to grow.” - Marc Alaimo, 1970

November 1988 saw Marc as director again with “Pops” at the Burbank Little Theatre. In 1989, he returned to the Mark Taper Forum to cover for and replace an actor in the role of Philip Asch in “Dutch Landscape.” He followed that up in March 1992 by directing and portraying Herb Tucker in the Neil Simon play, “I Ought to Be in Pictures” at the Stage Door, and by playing Detective Gino Espuchiano in “Hell’s Kitchen Ablaze” at the Hudson Backstage on Santa Monica Boulevard.

“The current outstanding production is directed by Marc Alaimo, who shines in that capacity as well as the role of father-screenwriter Herb Tucker.” - Karen Chagi, Thousand Oaks News Chronicle, Mar 27, 1992 (“I Ought To Be In Pictures”)

“Marc Alaimo’s Gibraltar-like Gino is the father figure at pains to keep the family’s factions at peace.” - Robert Koehler, LA Times, Sept 4, 1992 (“Hell’s Kitchen Ablaze”)

At a 1996 convention, Marc told the audience that he had contemplated being part of a then-recent production of Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” but stated, “It would’ve been too much. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to do it. It’s a very heavy piece.” He talked with great enthusiasm about bringing the then-new British one-man play, “Moscow Stations” to the U.S., but the play at the time was sadly not available. Marc expressed, “If it ever gets published, I’d love to do it.” That would’ve been amazing. He mentioned his desire to have played both Romeo and Hamlet, roles which sadly eluded him throughout his career. He was also keen to direct a version of “Hamlet” and noted “I’ve got some really good ideas, if I ever get a chance to do it.”

In a 1998 phone chat with The Cardassian Inquisitor, Marc talked about directing a one-act play called “Vendors,” which may have run at the Stage Door Theatre and been part of a one-act play series. He was also busy teaching acting classes around this time.

The Odyssey Theatre is our last stop on Marc’s theatrical journey. I couldn’t find any plays past his performance as Agamemnon in “The Cursed,” part of a set of Greek plays, in 1999. Although this play had a rocky run–with many cast member changes and a late start date–the show went on, with Marc sporting an incredibly attractive beard. 

"Standout performances include the arrogantly virile Agamemnon of Marc Alaimo." - Sydney Swire, Wilshire Center's Larchmont Chronicle, Oct 1999

Several attendees of this production have mentioned Marc’s amazing ability to keep his eyes and body motionless during Agamemnon’s death scene:

“Throughout the long discourse of his widow, Marc was holding his mouth and eyes open as his head lolls back. He hardly blinked and only swallowed slightly once per minute as he took a breath. I doubt that anyone past the first row would have even noticed that. It was great and memorable and in the long list of dead bodies that littered that stage I can truthfully say that he had the best ‘death’ of them all.” - The Cardassian Inquisitor, 1999

As a small aside, the most baffling thing to me is that throughout his long and varied theatrical career, Marc was never nominated once for any type of award or accolade! Far lesser actors have won far more awards. It’s an absolute crime he was never recognized for his talent or ability. 

Photo credit: Rita Dian

In 2000, Marc, Casey Biggs, and Jeffrey Combs began performing “What Shakespeare Left Behind,” (sometimes referred to as "What Shakespeare Leaves Behind"), a collection of soliloquies, scenes, and sonnets from Shakespeare’s vast repertoire. From what I could gather, the first of these was a charity event held in Southern California. The event was so successful, they continued performing WSLB as “ABC” (Alaimo, Biggs, Combs) at various Star Trek conventions all around the world for several years. The show was briefly renamed “Who Calls Me Villain?” in 2004 before reverting back to its original name. Marc’s roles in WSLB included Iago from “Othello,” and Orsino and Malvolio from “Twelfth Night.” Marc and Jeffrey Combs also gave an intimate, one-time performance called “Monologues” at the Orlando Sci-Fi Convention in 2008, which included selected favorite scenes and sonnets from various pieces that had inspired them to become actors. Marc and the other two actors also performed WSLB sporadically after 2008, with at least one confirmed performance at a Chicago Star Trek convention in October 2010.

Photo credit: John Peter Weiss

This concludes my three-part series on Marc’s theatrical history. Throughout my research, I was constantly reminded of Marc’s ability to embody a variety of roles. He has played everything from a wooing lover to a growling slave. It is so unfortunate that Hollywood chose to typecast him so fast as the “bad guy,” when he has so many strengths in other areas (including comedy!). 

Director and founder of the Megaw Theatre, Elaine Moe, shared some wonderful words with me earlier this year that bring this home:

“Given the intensity of the roles Marc often played I feel it so important that your audience knows that underneath all that vitality is a gentle and tender soul, which I believe made all his roles so powerful.”

“Marc Alaimo had what many actors, no matter how talented, never had–a long, life-sustaining career. In this business, that's a mark of success no matter how you cut it. You don't have to be a star baby, to be in my show.” - Samuel L. Leiter, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Theatre, CUNY. 

“I was very determined. I worked hard. I wore out shoes in New York City trying to get jobs in the theatre. I walked those streets constantly. And I succeeded, over a long period of time. But it was a struggle and whatever I have today, I earned.” - Marc Alaimo, 2017

 

NOTE: As an addendum to this series, I have posted the most accurate and complete list of Marc's theatrical works to date.

Click here to read the playlist.

Special thanks to Los Angeles area librarians Christa, Jeannette, and Nicholas for their help in locating information for this post. Support your local library however you can. And to the many archivists who have guided me towards the right path so many times on this journey. Many thanks also to Adam at San Diego State University and Dave at the Old Globe Theater for the wonderful plethora of photos from “Julius Caesar,” Tyler and Dominique at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble for the photos and program from "The Greeks," Sam Leiter, Elaine “E.E.” Moe, and Erich Anderson for the wonderful quotes!

©2020/2021 Elisa Ward