Emmy-nominated actress Lisa LoCicero of “General Hospital” chatted about starring in the new play “Bill W. and Dr. Bob,” and being a part of the digital age.
‘General Hospital’
She is known for playing the role of Olivia Falconeri on “General Hospital,” for which she earned an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series” back in 2015.
On April 1st, the hit ABC daytime drama “General Hospital” will be celebrating 60 years on the air. “Can you believe it? I have been watching it for at least 40 years, so it is an honor to be a part of that tradition. That show has meant so much to me throughout my life,” she said.
LoCicero had great words about her fellow acting partners on there, which include Emmy-nominated actors Wally Kurth (who plays her husband Ned Quartermaine) and Dominic Zamprogna (who plays her on-screen son Dante Falconeri). “I love Wally, he is the best, and I feel that Dominic is the greatest actor for the job,” she said.
When asked how she handles being dialogue-heavy, she said, “We always say, that part is a muscle. Memorization is a muscle. I find that when I go through periods of time where they haven’t written about me, that muscle gets a little bit weak. Every medium has its own set of muscles that you work each day. It’s fun and a really interesting challenge to me.”
‘Bill W. and Dr. Bob’
The new production of “Bill W. and Dr. Bob” was directed by Ronnie Marmo, and it is performed at the Theatre 68 Arts Complex in North Hollywood, California. It is inspired by the true story about the two men who founded Alcoholics Anonymous; moreover, the play was written by Stephen Bergman and Janet Surrey.
“We had a really interesting night last night,” she said. “It tells the whole story in terms of people who really wanted to see the second half of the show. Despite a power outage, they held up their own phones to light it, it was really beautiful.”
“I play the role of Lois Wilson, who is the wife of Bill Wilson, who is the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous 12-Step Movement,” she said. “They consider Lois to be the founder of the Al-Anon movement, which is a 12-step program for people who deal with the codependency issues of other people with substance abuse.”
“It was certainly an honor to bring Lois to the stage, who had such an impact on modern-day society, she was a very strong woman, and very intelligent. Obviously, she put up with a great deal in her life with Bill but there was a tremendous amount of love there, and it’s a beautiful dynamic to play,” LoCicero elaborated.
She had favorable remarks about working with Ronnie Marmo as a director. “It is good fun, Ronnie is such a dear friend. Ronnie and I are like brother and sister. Also, I respect his taste as a director so I take notes because I know he knows what he is doing. We work pretty well together.”
The synopsis is: In 1929, famous New York stockbroker Bill Wilson crashes along with the stock market and becomes a hopeless drunk. Dr. Bob Smith, a surgeon from Ohio, has also been an alcoholic for 30 years, often going into the operating room with a hangover.
Through an astonishing series of events, Bill and Bob meet and form a relationship, each helping the other to stay sober. This play is a humorous story of the two men who pioneered Alcoholics Anonymous, as well as the story of their wives who founded Al-Anon.
She praised Ronnie Marmo for his portrayal of Lenny Bruce in the Off-Broadway show “I’m Not a Comedian… I’m Lenny Bruce.” “Ronnie was really amazing, and he channeled something else. He was unbelievable, it was no joke,” she said.
The digital age
On being an actress in the digital age, she said, “I am still doing what I did before, so it doesn’t feel like it has had a tremendous impact in my day-to-day life other than what I watch. We are on Hulu, and that just adds to the convenience for people that want to watch the show so it can’t be a bad thing.”
MB ‘State of Mind’ podcast on mental health
LoCiCero shared that she enjoyed being a part of Maurice Benard’s “MB State of Mind” podcast on mental health. “We had fun with him, it was so good. Talking to Maurice was great,” she said.
“I think Maurice is really going strong with it, he has so many great guests,” she added.
On the title of the current chapter of her life, she revealed, “Divine Exploration.” “I have a grandma who will turn 100 in about a month, so I figure that I might just be halfway through and have another half of a life to live, and I am deciding what I want that to look like,” she said.
Advice for hopefuls in acting
For young and aspiring actors, she said, “First, get good training. Make sure that it’s really something you are passionate about and you really want to do because you are going to face challenges and struggles. You need to do the work, you need to learn your craft or don’t bother.”
Success
On her definition of the word success, LoCicero said, “Finding what truly brings you joy and being able to bring that into your life. Also, being able to give back by doing something that you love, and being surrounded by the people that you love.”
LoCicero concluded about the play “Bill W. and Dr. Bob,” “It’s a very heartfelt piece about an issue that changed society tremendously. Before this movement started, there was no hope for people who struggled with substance abuse. Bringing this play to the stage is very rewarding as a performer.”
For more information on Emmy-nominated actress Lisa LoCicero, follow her on Twitter and on Instagram.
