Paul D. Farwell (Scrooge in New Repertory Theatre’s Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol) is happy to be returning for his fifth year playing the Christmas curmudgeon. Credits include Mr. Roberts (The Captain), Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Gaston), Cabaret (Herr Schulz), A Streetcar Named Desire (Steve), Ragtime (Willie Conklin), Into the Woods (Narrator), Permanent Collection (Morris), Threepenny Opera (Peachum), and Sweeney Todd (Judge Turpin) for New Rep; Kiss Me Kate (Ralph) and Romeo & Juliet (Capulet) for North Shore Music Theater; Taming of the Shrew (Baptista) and Much Ado About Nothing (Leonato) for Commonwealth Shakespeare; The Gig (Georgie), The Caretaker (Mick), and The Big Knife (Buddy) for Lyric Stage; To Kill a Mockingbird (Heck Tate) for Wheelock; Parade (Old Soldier) for SpeakEasy; and King of the Jews (Rabbi Verble) for Boston Playwrights’ Theatre. He directed the recent, acclaimed Metro Stage production of Sweeney Todd and is currently directing Fiddler On The Roof. Paul lives in Watertown with his wife Joanne and 6-year-old twins PJ and David.

What is your definition of misery?
Not being able, or allowed, to express myself.

What is your greatest fear?
I obsessively worry about the safety & well-being of my children.

What was your first “real” job working in theatre?
Playing George M. Cohan in summer stock in Plymouth, MA

Are you a good at waiting tables?
Never had to.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Bill Russell of the Celtics. Ultimate team player & champion!

Who are your favorite heroes of theatre?
All theatre artists are heroic to me.

Who are your favorite heroes in real life?
My dad & my brother, David.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Beauty

What do you consider the most underrated virtue?
Perseverance

Your favorite painter?
My wife

Your favorite musician?
My kids music teacher, Mr. Spano. Or, John Popper.

Your favorite playwright?
Pinter

When and where were you happiest?
There have been too many times and places to pinpoint one.

What do you most value in colleagues?
A sense of teamwork.

Is there a class in which you wish you had paid more attention?
Music theory

If you didn’t work in theatre, what would you do?
Coach football

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Completing this questionnaire

What you’d like to be the world’s best at?
Being a father

What book would you read more than once?
There have been several. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, most recently.

Who would play you in a movie of your life? Why?
Hmmm. Not sure I can answer this w/o sounding incredibly vain.

What sports teams do you follow?
I love my local teams (Pats, Sox, Celts, Bruins) but will watch any sport, anywhere, anytime.

Where would you like to spend a vacation?
The one place I haven’t seen and would love to . . . Alaska

What car would you like to be seen driving around in?
Hate cars. Necessary evil. If it runs, it’s fine

What book is currently on your nightstand?
Lee Childs’, The Hard Way

If you could see a great production of a classic play, what would it be?
Doesn’t matter. A great production is a great production. Greatest I ever saw? RSC’s Nicholas Nickleby . . . all 7.5 hrs. in one day!

If you could travel back in time to visit or live in any time in history, when would it be?
I’d like to know how this circus all started! So, “In the beginning . . . “

What actor will see in any project they do?
Locally? Will Lyman, hands down. Globally? Pacino.

Thank you to Paul D. Farwell (tag archive). Photo courtesy of New Repertory Theatre (website | profile | tag archive).

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