Talking Back
What a crowd. Over 80 people on an opening night. Thanks to everyone who came, and congratulations to all of you involved. I had to watch from the booth. I hope that's true every night.
What really made my day was the talkback. Thanks to Grandma (MaryEllen) Meyer and Rose Byler for providing the refreshments. Nearly half the audience stayed for the talkback, and they had some great insights and questions. That type of conversation is what we exist for, it's why we do what we do at NWA.
it also brought up some interesting things for me in the difference between my experience and the actors' experiences. To me the piece has always had a clear spine, a clear purpose, a basic structure and a story holding it together. Far from trying to be artsy - I've spent the process trying my best to remain true to the original script, to honestly explore the questions that it raises for me and to let go and trust it to carry us through.
The question was 'what happens when we let go of our fears an fall?' If we had attempted a process that did not allow us to experience that question first hand, the production would not have been true to itself.
My approach to directing involves a lot of letting go. No final performance is ever the way I saw it in my head - and thank God. What I see in my head is usually half as interesting as the final piece. The same is true for me as a writer. In order to find all those things I never imagined, i have to let go. In the same way I often gave the cast notes to 'stop trying - just say the lines - trust the script', Michelle often gives me the note (on this show and others) to 'stop trying - just follow the script - trust the writing'. It is the same process on 'Danny and the Deep Blue Sea' or on 'Fear/Falling'. Explore the script and let it shine through whether or not you understand exactly why.
In another sense, I do know exactly why Cassie sits on the TV and why Ben and Mike juggle one ball at the start etc. It's because that worked with the script. It was true and honest. We were exploring the script, some things fit and others didn't. It was a process of exploring and determining what belongs in the world of 'Fear/Falling' and what does not. The other day we thought maybe a rubix cube would fit the world. It didn't. We cut it out right away. I can't telly you why it didn't fit, but I can tell you very clearly that that is why we cut it.
If I could explain exactly why one thing works when another doesn't, the world and the play would seem much less interesting and mysterious to me. Theatre and art would be much less important in my life. I find that a sad world to imagine. I like this on better.