Sean Hayes recently wrapped up a London run of Good Night, Oscar, where he reprised his Tony-winning performance as Oscar Levant—ending the show playing the entirety of Gershwin’s "Rhapsody in Blue" solo on a grand piano. It was so intense that Hayes found himself dipping his forearms in ice every night. 

So, when he was thinking about what he wanted to do next, he was adamant that he did not want to do a one-person show. Then director Leigh Silverman sent him the script for The Unknown by solo performer/screenwriter David Cale. He had to eat his words: “It’s one of the best scripts I’ve ever read in my life,” says Hayes. 

In Cale’s play, Hayes recounts the story of a playwright, Elliott, who is stalked by an actor named Keith. And as Elliott learns more about Keith, he becomes equally as obsessed with his stalker. The Unknown runs Off-Broadway at Studio Seaview through April 12. Says Hayes: "It is exactly what I was looking to do that's different enough for me to say yes. And it's definitely a challenge that I've never experienced in my life, that I want to experience. And so, while it's scary, I also welcome the colossal climb up the mountain." Though unlike Good Night, Oscar, for this newest show, he hopes "to not soak my hands [in ice] every night."

A longtime performer and playwright, Obie winner Cale is known for his virtuosic solo work—which he's written both for himself and for other people to perform. While he was writing his most recent show, Blue Cowboy (which he performed last year Off-Off Broadway), Cale also tinkered with The Unknown. Though he says, unlike his other works, it's not autobiographical, for the most part. "I did once work with a kind of unhinged actor who I could imagine doing such a thing. But no, it's not really, all from imagination," muses Cale.

Chimes in Hayes, joking: "It's how I met Leigh and David. They had no idea who I was before this process."

Chuckles Cale: "I heard singing outside the window, and it was Sean."

In all seriousness, the main interest for Cale in this newest play isn't so much the plot, but in playing with genre. And pushing the limits of what one person can do on the stage. The Unknown calls for Hayes to play 10 different characters, sing some original songs by Cale, and keep the audiences in a state of suspense—is he telling us the truth or is there something more going on here? 

“I was really interested to see if one person telling a story could create the tension of a thriller,” Cale explains. “At times, that person is being harassed by another person, but it’s still one person on stage. For me as an audience member, I would love to see something like that.”

Silverman, who is directing the production (and who previously directed Billy Crudup in another Cale solo show, Harry Clarke), knew that Hayes would be an ideal vehicle for Cale’s words—even if the actor didn’t know it yet. “We have to be immediately invested in and trust and be delighted by the actor who is playing Elliott,” says Silverman. “And to me, that’s why Sean is the most perfect person for this show, because he brings with him this incredible—obviously, his sense of humor—but we want to spend time with him. This is a person that you want to invest in, that you care about, and who you’re ready to hear tell this incredible story.”

Hayes, visibly touched: “That’s very nice. Thank you, Leigh.” Then he turns to this reporter and says with perfect comedic timing: “That’s all the time we have!” It wasn’t. 

When the three spoke to Playbill, they hadn't yet begun rehearsals for The Unknown. But Cale and Silverman were excited to welcome Hayes into the delights of the solo show medium. Says Silverman, with relish, "Some of the best solo performances that you've seen comes from the actor's eyes changing in front of you. It's not about like, 'Oh, this person has this kind of voice, and they're doing some other kind of crazy voice.'" 

Similar with Harry Clarke, Silverman isn't interested in surrounding her performer with too many design bells and whistles. Instead, the interest is in showcasing Hayes' virtuosity. Says Silverman: "The magic of theatre is that you can shift your weight from one place to another and you're in a new location, you're a different gender, you're a different age. Only in the theatre can that happen. It is the magic of theatre, and it is the incredible thing about watching a true, consummate performer do a solo show."

Adds Cale, contemplatively: "I also think right now that one human being on a stage talking to people is a welcome thing, more than it has been since I've been doing it. This was written by hand with a pen. It's human. It's not written by committee ... It's very elementary, and I personally really respond to that right now, particularly with so much stuff coming at us."

For his part, Hayes is honest about his own trepidation about the entire process—and the skepticism he's encountered when he announced he was doing The Unknown. But this longtime comedian, he's relishing getting able to show off all he's capable of as an actor.

“I’ve had a couple of friends ask me, like, ‘Well, you did it. You climbed the mountain with Oscar. You won a Tony. Why are you even doing this?’ Why do people climb fucking Mount Everest? You just do it because it speaks to your values and whatever gives you joy and wakes you up and gets you out of bed in the morning.” Seeing Sean Hayes on a stage all by himself? That’s definitely worth getting out of bed for.