Yasen Peyankov

Q & A with Yasen Peyankov when he starred as 'Max' in the Broadway premiere of Tracy Letts' Superior Donuts which played at the Music Box Theatre from 16 Sep 2009 - 3 Jan 2010.

Place of birth
Varna, Bulgaria.

Currently living in
New York(temporarily), Chicago(permenantly).

Did you go to training school, if so which one?
The National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria.

As an actor, do you have a preference for stage, tv or film?
The work on stage is more interesting usually, the work on fim and tv is more money, so ideally something that combines both.

Your first stage performance?
Radik Yurkin in The Young Guard by Alexander Fadeev when I was sixteen.

Can you tell us briefly about the character your playing in Superior Donuts? Max Tarasov: a Russian immigrant, small enterpreneer, obssessed with living the American Dream, very driven, very sad and funny at the same time.

Career highlight to date.
Joining the Steppenwolf Ensemble, working with the late Robert Altman and now appearing for the first time on Broadway

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage?
Getting my lines all screwed up in an opening night performance.

What roles would you most like to play?
Layered and complicated, the ones that don't reveal themselves so easily, usually in Chekhov's plays.

Who are your Favourite actors?
The ones who act from their hearts.

What is the most annoying part about your job?
In theatre cell phones, in movies and tv the editting that leaves your performance in the hands of someone else.

If you hadn't become a performer, what might you have done instead?
Become a historian or a teacher

If you could meet anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be and what would you say to them?
Anton Chekhov and I'll ask him to read me his favorite short story.

Favourite after-show haunts
Nothing loud, the one we go to a lot now is Angus McIndoe on 44th.

What was the last book you read, and name some of your favourite authors?
August Wilson's play Joe Tuner's Come and Gone is the last one I purchased and some of my favorite books are For Whom the Bell Tolls by Hemingway and all of Remark's books

What was the last film you saw, and name some of your favourite movies?
Public Enemies was the last one I saw, and some of my favourite movies are: In America, American Beauty, Amadeus, One Flew Over the Cucoo's Nest and Unfinished Piece for a Player Piano.

Favourite TV programs
Live soccer matches from Europe.

Favourite holiday destinations
Warm places with beautful beaches and plenty of sun.

Do you have any hobbies?
I play soccer and love watching it.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you take with you?
Definetely something useful to get me out of there.

What are your future plans?
To continue to act, direct and teach theatre and watch my baby daughter grow.

Do you have any superstitions?
Of course, I am from Eastern Europe after all.