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Boston Globe

A question of identity in Berkshire Theatre Group's ‘Out of Character'

From the time he was five, the actor has been battling anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. Back then, his therapist suggested he give that 'internal voice' a name. The boy named it Meredith, after the mean fiancée in the 1998 remake of 'The Parent Trap.' Said the therapist: 'Anytime you hear her, just remember — it's not you. It's Meredith.' Advertisement 'And Meredith has been kicking my ass ever since,' says Stachel in 'Out of Character,' his candid and engrossing one-man show at Berkshire Theatre Group. There was a time, not too long ago, when public figures — be they actors or athletes or elected officials — kept their mental-health struggles secret. Those days are now, if not gone, at least numbered. A few months ago, Red Sox outfielder Stachel's mental-health struggles are only part of 'Out of Character,' which is directed by Tony Taccone. The actor also speaks at length about his attempts to come to terms with his complicated identity – quite literally, who he is. The son of a Yemenite-Israeli father and an Ashkenazi Jewish mother — they divorced when he was young — Stachel concealed his Middle Eastern heritage for years. Advertisement When the 9/11 attacks occurred, Stachel was in fifth grade in Berkeley, Calif. A classmate called him a 'terrorist' during basketball practice. Stachel felt ashamed of his father, who bore a resemblance to Osama bin Laden. Stachel was ostracized for the rest of that school year. When he was sent to a private Jewish day School, Stachel recalls, 'I was the only brown kid there.' At recess on that first day, a classmate told him: 'You're too dark to be Jewish!' By the time he got to NYU, Stachel had begun pretending to be of African-American or Latino heritage, going so far as to perform monologues in acting class written for Black or Latino actors. When he was cast as an Egyptian character in 'The Band's Visit,' Stachel started to feel able to embrace his true heritage. He's had a lot on his plate, psychologically speaking, but Stachel's tone for most of 'Out of Character' is far from doleful. He's able to find humor in the bumpy journey he's been on, even on Tony night, when a TV executive praised his performance in 'The Band's Visit' as he headed toward a urinal, adding: 'You're like the Arab George Clooney.' Or the time he appeared on 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.' (As anyone who has ever perused the performer bios in a Broadway Playbill knows, it can seem that Advertisement As Stachel was about to do a scene with The entire set was waiting. It didn't stop the sweating. 'I became the most expensive delay in 'Law & Order' history!' Stachel says. In telling his life story, Stachel benefits from his brio as a performer, particularly his musical-theater skills. He is in constant movement in 'Out of Character,' able to wordlessly communicate — or punctuate — in a way and on a level not many solo performers can achieve. OUT OF CHARACTER Written and performed by Ari'el Stachel. Directed by Tony Taccone. Presented by Berkshire Theatre Group. At Unicorn Theatre, Stockbridge. Through July 26. Tickets $75-$90. At (413) 997-4444 or