Tim Robbins on The Actors Gang’s ‘The Rivals’

To celebrate the anniversary of theatrical troupe he founded 30 years ago, Tim Robbins and the folks over at The Actors Gang asked acclaimed director David Schweizer to choose a production. Schweizer dug deep into theatrical history, and came up with Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 250 year old masterpiece, The Rivals.

The Rivals follows two young lovers who’ve decamped to a resort town and get embroiled in all sorts of drama, duels, and conspicuous consumption. Themes we modern types can all relate to!

There’s even an important etymological lesson from the show, for all you fans of language. The show is such a classic that it was even immortalized in an episode of “Maverick.” Heck, we even studied it way back when at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, NY (thanks, Mr. Sarney!)

Robbins and Schweizer dropped in to KCRW to talk about the challenge and fun of making a show with period language come alive for a modern audience–as well as the challenge and fun of running a nonprofit theater in these troubled economic times.

The show opens this weekend and runs through November.