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Veteran stage and film actor Tony Roberts is currently appearing as Victor Velasco in the Broadway revival of Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park at the Cort Theatre. Among his dozens of credits is the original Broadway production of Barefoot, in which he played Paul Bratter. During previews, Mr. Roberts spoke with our correspondent Ben Pesner by phone.

Ben Pesner: How important was Barefoot in the Park for your career the first time around?

Tony Roberts: I had been in four Broadway plays up until that time, and they all closed very quickly. When Barefoot came along it was the first time I was above the title and playing a major role. Without it, I don't think I ever would have come to the attention of Woody Allen, and the collaboration with him, of course, was very, very good for me.

What about Neil Simon's work do you think makes it so enduringly popular?

I think there is rhythm to Neil Simon's dialogue that captures a point of view of the world that's particular to a certain kind of jaded sophistication that people recognize and enjoy. I think he also writes about major issues between men and women, and men and men.

Looking back at the original Barefoot in the Park , how have you approached it differently in 2005?

The perspective changes. In the classic actor mold, at the time I played Paul Bratter I considered everything else in the play kind of extraneous. It was really Paul's story. And, now, of course, I see it as Victor Velasco's story—with those peculiar newlyweds living beneath him. Does the play have as much resonance now as it did then? It feels awfully current as I listen to it over the speaker in my dressing room every night, and the audiences seems to be enjoying and laughing at it every bit as hard as they did back then when it was the biggest hit of the decade.

We're speaking before the show has officially opened. Why are previews important to you as a performer?

You have worked on Broadway for more than four decades. What makes theatre and particularly Broadway theatre so special for you?

A few reasons. One is because I grew up in New York City and as a 10- or 12-twelve-year-old I was taken to the theatre fairly frequently by my parents. I was awestruck and enchanted. As an actor, it's more satisfying than film or television because you can always be interrupted in those mediums. In the theatre, you come out [on stage] and you take a ride for a while, and nobody can stop you. It seems more immediate to me than anything else that you do as an actor.

Looking back, did you ever imagine having this career?

I wanted to be a Broadway actor and I'm delighted that I've had the opportunity to do it, and I consider myself very lucky to be able to work and make a living in those streets between 42nd and 55th Streets. That was especially true after 9/11. People had come on buses from New England and Pennsylvania and the surrounding area because of the call to come and support the theatre in New York. We were completely stunned to find people outside the stage door [of The Tale of the Allergist's Wife ] each night, dozens of them who wanted to just say thank you to us because they thought that we had suffered a terrible blow and they were there to support us as fellow Americans. It was so inspiring and moving. I think they received some comfort from sitting in a building with other people, with strangers, at this terrible moment in history and sharing the experience of theatre together.

View a list of Tony Roberts' Broadway credits.

Get tickets and information for Barefoot in the Park.

Broadway Animal Trainer

William Berloni began his animal training career in 1976 by rescuing a dog from an animal shelter. That dog was the original Sandy in the Broadway musical Annie who performed for seven years — the longest for any animal in Broadway history. Since that time, he and his trainers have provided animals for hundreds of films, commercials, television shows and printwork as well as theatre all around North America . The current national tour of Annie features animals trained by Mr. Berloni.

A multitude of Sandy's : “At present, I own 4 dogs that play the role of Sandy. For the 30th anniversary tour, Sandy is played by a dog named Lola, and the understudy is Mikey. At home, I have a dog named Buster who has been playing Sandy all around the country for the last eight years who's now semi-retired, and his semi-retired understudy named Bard, who was just in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang .”

On gender bending: “We believe in non-traditional casting. If the audience is looking between the dog's legs while she's on-stage, we know there's something wrong with the scene. Lola's actually the third female Sandy we've had in the 30-year history.”

Visit Annie on-line for cities, showtimes, and tickets.

See more of our interview with William Berloni here.

The Commercial Theater Institute can help! Now in its 25th year, CTI is a project of Theatre Development Fund (TDF) and the League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc.

Dedicated to training the next generation of commercial theatre producers, CTI provides resources and guidance to individuals interested in the various paths one can take towards creating commercial productions for the stage.

Learn more about the Commercial Theater Institute.