Video: Inside Rehearsals for N/A with Holland Taylor and Ana Villafañe

Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World

Holland Taylor and Anna Villa Fanié are returning to the New York stage for eight weeks only

at Lincoln Center's Mitzie Newhouse Theater and Mario Correa's New Play, N.A., directed by Diane Paulus

and I caught up with all of them during a break in rehearsal. I mean, this came together in the space of about 10 days

I swear to God. And, you know, if they hadn't gotten a very strong director, I don't think they could have pulled us together that fast

Because, you know, Diane Paulus is doing it, then people will come in and produce, and, you know, it's a short run

So people are producing this to make a ton of money on it

They're producing it because they believe in the work, and the work in this time

What are you looking forward to the most about being back on stage again? Feeling that confidence of knowing that you've prepared something

and then delivering it. I mean, it's really a wonderful moment. if you're confident in what you've created with the author and everybody

And here it is. Here it is. I mean, you know, sometimes I even feel like, get ready

Get ready. This was a fast process for both of you in Holland, right

Yes, it's been incredibly fast, and I cannot believe that we have an audience as soon as we do

But we're putting in the work. We're in here every single day. We even started early

like technically our rehearsals started on May 20th but we actually started coming in a week before just to just to hash through it and break it down together and to kind of establish our bond and our trust She fierce So I just been learning and observing her and absorbing everything that she is and does

Like, she is the goal. Yeah. Without giving too much away, NA, fascinating women

What can you tell us? Yes. So they are fascinating and they are closely inspired

by real leaders, but it's not a biography play. It's a story that we see on stage

very closely inspired by real events, but these are characters on the stage

who find their own way to conflict and friendship and understanding. The idea of doing a two-hander play

where they are two female characters that are leading figures in American politics

Okay, first of all, let's talk about How often does that happen? I don't think there's another play like this

And to work with actors like Anna and Holland and Mario, who is just a dream collaborator

this is what we live for as directors, opportunities like this. You first got Mario's play and you read it

What were your thoughts? What went through your mind? I even finished it. I thought I'm going to do this

Because it's a really extraordinary piece of writing and it's different. I mean, it's a dialogue play

of ideas, but the people, the characters who voice the ideas, have passions about the ideas So the feelings are holding up concepts So it very much a concept play It too not well sometimes warring concepts sometimes agreeing concepts and held in the form

of a personal dialogue. But it's not a personal portrait of either of them. It's an evocation of each

person. Honestly, when I first got the email and read the synopsis and kind of just glossed over what it was

going to entail. I was, I was hesitant. I was nervous. I was like, okay, well, this is, this is a lot

This is dense material. But then I read the script and Mario is so human and his humanity is what

really comes through in the show. And it's a really, really great piece kind of detailing and

navigating the nuances between a, in a relationship between these two women. So I think that's what

Obviously, it's in the political landscape, but it really is about that relationship and where they see each other, real, recognizing real, and where they say absolutely not, and setting boundaries, you know, in terms of generation gaps, in terms of racial differences, in terms of just worldviews and perspectives, and where do we find common ground

And I think that's highly relevant and also highly important right now in our country and in the world

So I really really excited for us to share this His writing is really human I read this play I was moved by this play I laughed at this play And I thought this is a play that we need right now So it has to be done And it has to be

done because it actually invites audience to say, you know what? There are different points of

you in the world, but both are valid and both are needed. And you know what? Both points of you

care deeply about progress and the future of our country. And that's something we can all

get behind that we all need to lean into, that we all need to spend time thinking about

Okay, being in the room with Holland and Anna, what has that been like watching the dynamic

and watching them work? All right. They are two extraordinary, talented, fierce, intelligent

emotionally sensitive, deeply caring human beings. And I'll tell you, this is a play about intergenerational learning and friendship

and it is happening on stage and off stage. And that is a beautiful thing to witness

What do you hope audiences take away after leaving N.A.? You know, I hope they come away with a better understanding of two extraordinary leaders

and how they have forged a way forward and finding progress. And they'll laugh a lot

There's a lot of humor in this play, as well as hopefully a lot of insight

And I think it will be moving for them, but also it's a fun night out, which is what I really intended to do