I recently had the pleasure of speaking with former Days of Our Lives star Kevin Spirtas, who portrayed Dr. Craig Wesley on the show from March 1998 until September 2005. Many fans were delighted when he returned for three episodes in late August, but felt that his stay in Salem was just too brief. Not only is Kevin a talented actor who has taken on many different roles in television, film, and theater, but he’s also a Broadway performer who still promotes his one-man energetic and tuneful show Night and Days.
Kevin has recently landed the role of Patrick in the new play called Loaded and talks to me about his new play and his character, his time on DAYS, and his debut just this month as a Broadway producer for Finian’s Rainbow. Kevin was very fun and easygoing to talk to, and by the end of our chat, I felt as though I was talking to an old friend. Read what Kevin had to say.
GM: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today! Congratulations to you on your new play, Loaded.
KS: Thank you.
GM: That looks like it’s going to be a good one. I know it’s quite a different role than Dr. Craig Wesley.
KS: You think? (laughs)
GM: (Laughs) Yeah, I’m interested in hearing more about it. Your character’s name is Patrick, and from what I’ve read about it, it looks like it’s a play about two men who have a great sexual relationship, but they can’t seem to find common ground on an intellectual level. Can you elaborate a little more on that?
KS: Well the elaboration would be more the understanding that they come from two different generations, and their conflict of interest, conflicts of ideas, conflicts of the times that they’re living in, one who’s an older person who has watched an entire generation be wiped away due to AIDS, and this is a young kid coming in to the community, and he’s kind of like dancing around more free because the work they’ve done before his time is allowing him these benefits of living easier with HIV research and health care, and housing, and all that stuff. It gets into the marriage equality rights. One sees half full, the other sees empty. They butt heads, it’s just so many issues. Very good in bed, but when it comes to the real world and outside the bedroom, could this couple be a relationship, could they get along? Who knows. You kind of have to figure that out. And they have to figure it out too. And there’s a huge age difference. The younger man is raised without having a father in his life, and he sort of has this interest of looking for a father figure. So I get to play a dad again, so to speak. There’s the similarity in Craig and Patrick. I’m just kidding, ha ha!
GM: (laughs) But that seems to be common these days with a significant age difference in relationships now.
KS: I prefer anyone in my life who I’m having a relationship with, I mean I’ll never say never, but it’s good to have the same age circle, your experiences are the same, one’s not ahead of the game, and that’s actually a very big part of our play, ‘I’ve got the experience, you don’t. Listen to what I have to say.’ Relationships come in all forms and shapes and sizes, right?
GM: Exactly, yeah. Now how did this role of Patrick come about to you?
KS: I was called in to audition, and I did my best work possible. They said, ‘You’re it. You’re the guy.’ And I said, Okay.’ The writer had never heard of me before, he doesn’t get to watch TV, he hasn’t seen any of my slasher films, I think he was even asked like, ‘That’s the guy from “Days of Our Lives.’ He went, ‘Who’s that?’ So, thanks a lot, right? (jokes)
GM: Great! I read a couple of reviews on Loaded and it looks like it’s already gotten good reviews.
KS: I think it’s a very important piece. The reviews I think came from a reading that was done a while ago, but I think one of the great things about this for anyone who comes to see this piece, ‘Please come to the theater early. No late seating. You might miss the nudity!’ (laughs) Not kidding. The thing I think that’s interesting about this role and the play is there are so many belief systems and behavioral systems between the two, different kind of behaviors, different kind of views and approaches to their way of living and where they collide. I don’t even agree with some of the terminology and I don’t agree with some of the viewpoints, which I think is important to bring light to, because you want to find a way that people can come to these terms in life and get healing from that.
And that’s one of the greatest ways I think, it’s just one of the greatest opportunities to have theater, even when I was doing a soap and other shows, I’d find some element in the character that I’m attracted to, or I’d find a part of that character that, ‘Oh, that’s a little like me, I have that in this guy,’ but there’s so much I don’t agree with and I go, ‘Well I’m glad I’m the one who is bringing this to light because this needs to be looked at and seen, and people should not be in so much pain and anger because of such and such.’ So I get to do a little healing too.
GM: And that’s good! Now do you have a favorite type of character to play, because I know you’ve played both a good guy and a bad guy on Days of Our Lives. I mean Craig wasn’t the nicest guy when he first came on, but that changed.
KS: That’s such a loaded question! I mean, I like the role that fits and feels right, and I get to kind of work something out, and I get to kind of dive into the psyche of an individual who’s challenged, or loving, or healing, or straight, or gay, or whatever it is. I get to find all those aspects within myself and I can kind of create from that place. I get to play a father on DAYS. Do I have kids? No, I have a cat. So that’s where I get to be daddy.
GM: And as far as Days of Our Lives goes, it was so nice to see you back for three episodes.
KS: Wasn’t it fun? (enthuses)
GM: It was so great to see Craig, and I know I speak on behalf of a lot of fans, but a lot of us wish it would’ve been more than three episodes, but we’ll take what we can get.
KS: Thank you.
