'Frankie and Johnny' at The Clubhouse

As an actor, Edward Kassar’s face is a familiar one to East End audiences. Over the years, he has appeared in countless productions at venues across the region.

But recently, the actor, who divides his time between New York City and the East End, has added the title of producer to his resume as well, and under the auspices of Kassar Productions, his new company, will present Terrence McNally’s 1987 play “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” at The Clubhouse in Wainscott.

The romantic two-hander runs September 25 to October 4 and stars Kassar and Sayra Player with direction by Marcia Haufrecht. It follows on the heels of another Kassar Productions offering — Martin McDonagh’s controversial “The Pillowman” — which was directed by Stephen Hamilton at LTV Studios this past spring with a cast that included Kassar, Sawyer Spielberg, John Kroft and Joe Pallister.

Set in New York City, “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” tells the story of Frankie (Player), a waitress, and her co-worker Johnny (Kassar), a short order cook — two people who fall casually into bed after a night on the town. But is this relationship destined to be a one-night stand or something more? The need for human connection and the desperation that can follow when one lost soul feels certain he (or she, or they) has found another is at the heart of “Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune,” McNally’s intimate portrait of early love in the wake of loss and its associated damage.

When asked in a recent phone interview what inspired him to bring McNally’s play to The Clubhouse stage, Kassar explained that he had acted in a scene from it years ago and also saw a New York production that starred Stanley Tucci and Edie Falco in 2002.

“The themes are timeless — people seeking love and acceptance,” Kassar said. “If you find a piece you love, you have to accept that it’s a universal piece, and we take it from there.

“I was telling Sayra that it’s so much more complex a piece than I thought it was before we started getting into it,” he added. “I like challenges. Some people were reluctant to do ‘The Pillowman,’ which made me want to do it even more.”

Kassar expounded on “Frankie and Johnny’s” complexities by explaining that, on the surface, it appears that Johnny knows what he wants and he feels strongly that his romance with Frankie is more than just a run-of-the-mill one night stand.

“He’s noticed her in the diner. The back story is, he’s fallen in love with how she treats people from afar,” Kassar said. “He’s afraid as much as she is, tries to convince her this is something beautiful and we’re at the beginning and wants her to be positive, but he has doubts too. He retracts because she puts up a wall to his emotional advances.

“Also, we’re in an era where respecting women’s wishes — which should have always been a thing — and him being the aggressor is a delicate line to walk in our current world,” he continued. “She asks him to leave and he doesn’t want to leave. It’s not that simple, it’s understood I feel this is what’s best for us. It’s not just sex, I want you to be my best friend.”

While Kassar and Player may be slightly older than the 40-something year old actors McNally’s script calls for, Kassar recognizes the real world difficulties that people of any age experience while trying to find deep and meaningful connection, even in a city like New York surrounded by nearly nine million other people.

“This is the real world. If you don’t feel great about yourself, it’s hard to believe someone could love you and the fact this guy is honest scares her,” Kassar explained. “It is a story that speaks to us all, not just about romance but our hopes and dreams and worries as people.

“I’m so fortunate to be working with these talented ladies,” he said of Player and Haufrecht. “The East End has been so supportive of theater and I am excited to bring this show to the stage. This will be my third production at The Clubhouse. It is a wonderful venue for theater.”

It’s true that The Clubhouse is a somewhat unconventional venue for theater, but it’s one that has been a good fit for the work Kassar has brought to the East End in recent years. It began in December 2022 when he and Joe Pallister, under the moniker Nimbus Productions, performed a staged reading of Edward Albee’s “The Zoo Story” as part of a series offered by Our Fabulous Variety Show. Then in December 2023, Kassar teamed up with John Kroft to present Michael Puzzo’s “The Dirty Talk” at the venue.

“I was very lucky,” Kassar noted. ‘The Dirty Talk’ only had three people who bought tickets presale on the first night, and the owners thought we should cancel. But then we had 97 walk-ins. For ‘Zoo Story’ with Joe Pallister, I averaged 65 people per show.

“You have to keep getting it out there,” he continued. “I have to thank [owners] Scott and Matt Rubenstein. Without them giving me this venue it wouldn’t be possible.”

This will be all new territory for the show’s director, Marcia Haufrecht, who is a member of The Actors Studio in Manhattan which is where Kassar met her at a reading some three decades ago. Haufrecht recently directed a short film in which Sayra Player was the lead and that’s how Kassar became acquainted with the actress.

“I was also in the film,” Kassar explained. “Sayra had a great spirit and is a talented actress and is also in The Actors Studio — she jumped at it when I asked her to be in the play and it’s been amazing. We have the same approach. We just want to act, it’s a joy.

“Marcia is so easy to work with. She lets us find our way and shapes and guides us,” he continued. “We reconnected after 30 years. She taught for years at the Strasberg school and had an approach of, ‘What works for you?’ I’m here to help you get there.’

“I’m wonderfully lucky to be surrounded by these two talented women and collaborating with people who are talented and a joy to work with,” he said. “I’m excited to bring them out there.”

“When Eddie asked me to direct him and Sayra Player in the wonderful play ‘Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune,’ I was thrilled,” said Marcia Haufrecht in an email. “I didn’t hesitate, didn’t skip a beat, no second thoughts, I said ‘yes’ unequivocally. I loved working with them then, and I’m loving working with them now.”

For her part, Player has a home in Montauk and comes with some familiarity about the area and the people who live here.

“The fresh sea air and the vibrant, supportive community create a perfect backdrop for a story that’s all about embracing life’s deeper moments,” said Player in a statement. “I want to create something memorable that resonates with the community — something that explores the fragility and hilarity of midlife with honesty and courage.

“This play is a love story about the beauty of being truly intimate, even when it feels risky,” she added. “It’s a celebration of the strength found in vulnerability and the joy that comes from authentic connections.”

Of course, the play’s title includes “Clair de Lune,” which is the name of one of Claude Debussy’s most famous and romantic classical pieces. Kassar has some thoughts on the emotion inherent in the piece.

“There’s romance in that song, but I think there’s also hope,” he said. “Even though it’s romantic, hope is not just romance, it’s realizing dreams even if it’s just to put food on your table. Music for me is an escape and Debussy gives me an escape.”

Terrence McNally’s “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune,” presented by Kassar Productions, runs Wednesday through Friday, September 25 to 27 and again from October 2 to 4 at The Clubhouse, 174 Daniels Hole Road East Hampton, East Hampton. Shows are at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 8 p.m. on Fridays. Outdoor dining is available at both Friday night shows, with 20 percent off food for ticket holders. Tickets are $25 and available at eventbrite.com.