Interview: Dylan Baker Gets It Done in The Disappear

Few actors have had a more interesting or varied career than Dylan Baker, who has spent nearly 40 years working in theater, film, and television, earning a Theater World Award, a Tony Award nomination, and three Emmy Award nominations along the way.

Now, Baker is handing in another acclaimed performance as the often-frustrated film producer Michael Bloom in Erica Schmidt’s comedy The Disappear at Audible Theater. He appears alongside Hamish Linklater and Miriam Silverman as the less-than-happily married screenwriter/director Benjamin Braxton and his wife, bestselling author Mira Blair.

TheaterMania spoke with Baker about what attracted him to the play, the role of Michael, exercising both his comic chops and his British accent, and why he continues to work in film and television as well as on stage.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

How did this show come about for you?
I’ve known Erica and her husband Peter Dinklage socially for a while, and she came to me and asked if I would do a workshop in March. I immediately responded to the play, so I said yes. We did it for a week, and then we did a reading for Audible, and they loved it. But before I made a full commitment to this run, I needed to know who the rest of the cast was. Once I found out Hamish and Miriam were playing Ben and Mira, I thought “Well, you can’t do better than that.” Actually, our whole cast (Madeline Brewer, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Anna Minodin) is amazing.

You said you responded immediately. Was that to the subject matter, the character of Michael, or both?
What I really like is that this play talks about two different people trying to survive in a long-term marriage. Of course, it makes me wonder about my own situation with my wife [the actress Becky Ann Baker]. Like us, Ben and Mira are both in the arts and their child is not remotely interested in the arts and wants to take care of animals. All of that spoke to me.

As for Michael, I love how the play shows what happens when a long-time friendship goes off the rails. But just as important, I have encountered the Michaels of the world: people in great positions of importance who seem flighty and fun, but who can get something done when they need to get it done. When Michael has to work with both Ben and Mira on making this film, despite their marital issues, he realizes he can still make the movie as good as it can be.

Honestly, this may be one of the funniest roles I’ve ever seen you play. Was that a factor in your decision?
It doesn’t hurt that I have these great physical comedy scenes. I enjoyed doing something new for me and trying on these clothes. I kept thinking this was the kind of part Nathan Lane would do in the past, but now it’s me!

What isn’t new, however, is you using a British accent. That familiarity must make your job easier.
Actually, I find using the accent a little difficult, not technically, but because sometimes it forces you into certain kinds of line readings. In a way, it can lessen your choices. Luckily, early on Erica wrote me a note saying, “Michael feels too set, but you’re fun, so why don’t you do more of you?” That made me feel freer and now the accent doesn’t hold me back!

I have to say it’s an unusual play. What kind of audience reaction did you expect?
We weren’t sure! But so far, they’re laughing throughout, standing at the end, and enjoying the experience. But it does vary night from night. One night recently it felt like it was Dolly’s show; the audience loved everything Anna did from the moment she stepped on stage. But ultimately, this is an ensemble piece, which I love. It’s a bit like God of Carnage, where I worked with everyone and had major interchanges with everyone.

One never knows where you’ll show up – in a play, a film or on TV. Is it important for you to work in all these media?
It is very important for me to do TV and film, especially economically! And it’s great, for example, to walk on the set of something like The Gilded Age, which I did for one episode, and see all these New York stage actors I’ve known or admired. It’s kind of like how Law & Order was. But I do find if I’m on TV too long without doing a play, I’m dying to be onstage again – even just for a few weeks. I feel like I can’t live without it!