Director celebrates a troubled genius in Asolo Rep's 'Good Night, Oscar'

In the mid-20th century, Oscar Levant was famed as a multitalented, creative genius. Levant’s eclectic resume includes: conductor, composer, actor, author, humorist, raconteur, radio game show panelist, television game show host and concert pianist.

Some will remember Levant as the witty pianist in “An American in Paris” (1951) who performed Gershwin’s Concerto in F in that movie. Levant’s fame was well deserved. But his struggles with mental illness also played out on national television.

Peter Wright's “Good Night, Oscar” explores the legacy of this now largely forgotten genius. For director Peter Amster, bringing the character study to the Asolo Repertory Theatre stage is a fitting tribute to Levant’s larger-than-life life.

Amster’s connection to Levant runs deep. “Levant was a family favorite growing up in New York,” he recalls. “He had a dry, droll wit, and he was a genius pianist. At one time, he was the highest-paid concert performer in the U.S., yet he’s a historical footnote today.” 

When Amster first read Wright’s script for “Good Night, Oscar,” he instantly knew: “This is mine.”

What grabbed the director? According to Amster, the script did justice to Levant’s dualities and contradictions.

“The playwright captures both Levant’s comic brilliance and his tragic breakdowns,” he says. “Jack Paar once told him, ‘There’s a fine line between genius and insanity.’ Levant shot back with, ‘Oh, I erased that line a long time ago.’ He really used humor as a survival mechanism.”

Casting Levant was one of the director’s biggest challenges. Finding a great actor with sharp comedic timing wasn’t enough. The role also demanded concert-level piano skills. Enter Max Roll, Sean Hayes’ understudy in the recent Broadway production of “Good Night, Oscar.”

The playwright recommended him for the part in Amster’s production. The director recalls, “He was young, tall, British — everything Levant wasn’t. But when I met him, Max launched into an uncanny Levant impression. Doug Wright told me, ‘If you don’t cast him, you’re a fool.’”

Amster’s no fool. Needless to say, Roll got the part. Voice aside, Roll’s expressive body language fit Amster’s conception of the role.

“As a humorist and raconteur, Levant was a beloved character,” the director says. “He had a sad sack persona. His wife, June, once described him as ‘Eeyore in a cheap suit.’ But he also had a sense of verve and energy. Roll really captures that.”

What’s the key to Levant’s character? According to Roll, there’s more than one. “There is not one single defining key to unlocking Oscar,” he says. “And he wouldn't have it any other way. One thing that I do think is important is to fully embrace Oscar's contradictions. He was so many things all at once. That's what makes it a challenging and brilliant part to play.”

Roll's portrayal is worlds apart from Sean Hayes’ characterization on Broadway. That production was critically acclaimed. But Amster has a very different take. “On clips I’ve seen of the Broadway production, Oscar was always hunched over, rocking back and forth,” he says. “I thought that was too much. I wanted the audience to connect with him and care about him — not just pity him. Roll achieves that.”

The actor also had the musical chops for this demanding role. According to Roll, technical proficiency always serves the creation of character.

Image courtesy of Adrian Van Stee

“Oscar's relationship to music fuels so much of what drives this play,” Roll says. “That includes the ecstasy and agony of his connection to Gershwin, and his own perceived inadequacy as a composer. Often what you love and what you hate are even closer than the opposite sides of the same coin."

Music plays a central role in the storytelling, from Levant’s electrifying on-air piano performances to the quiet moments when Gershwin’s melodies haunt him. “Music is both his gift and his torment,” Amster explains. “It’s woven into Oscar’s psyche.”

A touch of madness was another thread. As America would find out.

“Good Night, Oscar” revolves around a pivotal night in 1958. Levant, fresh out of a psychiatric hospital, was a guest on “The Tonight Show” with Jack Paar. 

In his nationally televised appearance, Levant shocked audiences by openly discussing his struggles with mental illness and addiction. When Paar asked, “What do you do for exercise?” Levant quipped, “I stumble, and then I fall into a coma.”

"Good Night, Oscar" raises timely questions about fame, mental illness and exploitation. “Levant was one of the first public figures to openly discuss his mental illness on television,” notes Amster. “His wife called his talk show appearances ‘bloodletting.’ It makes you wonder — do we elevate troubled geniuses or do we consume them?”

After theatergoers experience the lost world of “Good Night, Oscar,” Amster hopes they’ll leave with both admiration and curiosity. “For those who remember Levant, it’ll be a nostalgic and bittersweet return,” he says. “For those unfamiliar, I hope it’ll send them to YouTube to watch his old performances. Levant was a remarkable talent — and he’s worth rediscovering.”