That Time I Brunched With Lichfield COs: Catherine Curtin and Joel Marsh Garland
Catherine Curtin showed up riding a Citibike while greeting Joel Marsh Garland and me. Both have been working non-stop while away from the hit show, Orange is The New Black, and I loved seeing them to catch up since our last interviews.
We ended up having our brunch at Le Pain Quotidien and to be honest, seeing how Joel and Cathy interact with each other makes me smile and giggle as they are playful and hilarious throughout our brunch and interview.
KR: Thank you both of you so much for meeting up with me during your free hours!
Joel: No, thank YOU! Also, it’s great that Cathy wanted to do an interview with me. [Laughs]
Cathy: [Shakes her head and laughs] You see.
KR: You guys are like a couple. [Laughs]
Cathy: So, how’s it going, Joel? You have been busy, I see.
Joel: I have. Sorry, I have to leave my phone on. I am on call today in case I am needed to go on as Lennie instead of Carlson. It’s rare, but if they call I have to be there early.
Cathy: Oh, but you won’t know until later?
Joel: Yeah. And this Wednesday, I have to be on set for Orange in the morning and also get back to the theater for a matinee of Of Mice And Men.
Cathy: I’m sorry. I can only do Wednesday?
Joel: That’s okay.
KR: You guys have been so busy. The last time I saw Cathy was at her reading for Washer/Dryer.
Joel: What was that?
Cathy: It was a reading I did at Ma-Yi Writers Lab at Ma-Yi theater.
Joel: Oh cool. I have never heard of Ma-Yi theater.
Cathy: Yeah. It’s a really cool organization whose primary mission is to develop and produce new and innovative plays by Asian American writers.
KR: I believe it’s on eight Avenue and 36th Street or something. By the way, it was so nice to see you the other day at the Crazy Pyes truck, Joel.
Joel: Yeah, I was on my way to work (Of Mice And Men) and I stopped by to check it out.
Cathy: I didn’t know about that. When was that? And where?
KR: It was at Columbus Circle. Sunday was the last day. I was surprised to see Joel there!
Joel: Yeah, it was mobbed. A lot of people showed up, both fans and people who saw a truck and came to get ice-cream. [Laughs] But, it was a lot of fun.
KR: Yeah, he got mobbed. I had brunch with Abigail Savage, Lin Tucci, Dale Souls, Tamara Torres, and others and we decided to go check the truck out together. Of course, they all got mobbed, too. I kind of left them with fans and I went to get in line for ice-cream which Dale told me later I should have stayed with her. They didn’t need to get in line. [Laughs]
Joel: But, the event was fun. I couldn’t stay that long. People kept showing up.
KR: I was worried you wouldn’t have made it back to the theater.
Cathy: I didn’t know about the event.
KR: I promise I’ll text or e-mail for any upcoming events like that, if I know anything.
Cathy: Would you? That’d be great. Thank you.
KR: Of course. You need to go on Twitter more! I think I tweeted you a month ago and I thought “Why didn’t she reply to me?” [Laughs]
Cathy: I didn’t check my Twitter, you know. I have been so busy.
Joel: Let’s look at your Twitter, Cathy.
Watching Joel giving Cathy’s tips and showing her Twitter is one of the cutest things I have ever I seen.
Joel: Oh hey, look, someone asked us questions on Twitter.
Cathy: Oh, how did they know? [Laughs]
Joel: Anne tweeted about it so fans could ask us questions.
KR: Oh yeah, I saw a few questions this morning and I haven’t looked again since. Now, that we all are on our phones now. I’m pulling out my phone, too. [Laughs]
Joel: Hey, Cathy, here’s a question for us, how is your love life going? [Laughs]
Cathy: For O’Neill and Bell? [Laughs]
Joel: I must address that we both have our significant others. We played a couple on Orange. But, we are having brunch together. As friends. [Laughs]
Cathy: Oh Joel. [Chuckles]
KR: Did you know from the get go that your characters were heading towards that direction becoming a real couple?
Joel: I had no idea that this is what we would become. In Season One, we were having an affair, but it got kinda serious this Season.
Cathy: Yeah, they developed our characters throughout the season.
Joel: And we have different directors and writers for each episode, different paces.
Cathy: Yeah, depends on who we work with. So each episode has a different tone.
KR: That scene when O’Neill tried to apologize to Bell, I saw a serious side of him! I was almost in tears, but once Bell turned around and called him “Panda,” I lost it and couldn’t stop laughing.
Cathy: I always have fun doing scenes with Joel. Our writers are great. We were only supposed to be in a couple episodes in Season One, but the writers kept writing for us.
KR: By the way, Joel, you saw Dale at the Crazy Pyes truck. I only just learned that day that you guys had known each other for a very long time!
Joel: I met Dale my first winter in the city. She was starring in an off-off-broadway show at The House Of Candles back when it was a theater and not a restaurant. I stage-managed that show. I think it was my first theater job in New York. We have worked together as actors many many times since. She is the absolute best.
KR: Do you have your favorite scene?
Joel: What did I answer you last year about my favorite scene from Season One?
KR: You told me you liked that episode that you weren’t in, but it was beautifully done, that radio episode.
Joel: Oh Yeah, I did like that scene. That was the only episode I wasn’t in, I was away for my honeymoon.
Cathy: Yeah, that episode was great. We have a great ensemble cast and wonderful crew.
KR: I noticed something in Season Two, Bell went soft. [Laughs] I think Panda changed her.
Joel: He certainly did. [Laughs]
Cathy: [Laughs] What can I say? She’s in love.
KR: What was it like working with cast of Of Mice and Men, Joel? I’m sorry I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m going to try.
Cathy: Is it running through July?
Joel: Yeah, it closes July 27th. The ticket sales and the audiences have been great and a lot of interesting people keep showing up.
KR: I saw a picture of you guys with Lady Gaga. How cool is that?
Joel: Yeah, it’s been very interesting.
Cathy: Maybe I should see it. Let’s look for tickets.
KR: And what have you been doing, Cathy?
Cathy: I have done a lot of readings and recently, I just shot a web series which is like 10 minutes long.
KR: Oh, like Funny or Die? Joel shot that Mayor Ford video last year, so hilarious.
Cathy: Yeah, something like that.
KR: So, what would you like to tell your fans, guys?
Joel: I don’t know. Thank you? You are all very pretty. [Laughs]
KR: Okay, better than last time that you walked away and told me that you had assassins spying on me.
Cathy: He did that to you? Oh Joel. [Laughs]
Joel: It’s really been great. So, thank you for watching the show and coming to see Of Mice And Men.
Cathy: I think it’s amazing, not only people watched our show. The issues concerning incarcerated people have been brought to everyone’s attention. The great program like WPA and many others are also great.
KR: I know! I wouldn’t have known about it without the show. Anyway, it’s been a pleasure hanging and interviewing with you guys again.
It was a fun and lovely interview and while saying our goodbyes, a fan of OITNB stopped us and asked for a picture with Joel and Cathy. That moment was priceless, and I was so happy proud for both of them.
Kobsupang Robertson 