A Thousand Times Goodnight was the first conventional show I had directed in a long time, and the first show I’d written-and-directed outside of school since 2003. While I do have some failings as a director, I also feel that my work with the actors (which has always been my focus) was pretty successful.
As with most plays and their playwrights, this story covered some important personal issues: The failure to be properly understood despite your greatest efforts, people’s apparent inability to exist as equals, the definition of intelligence, trust, and gaining what many desire while failing to achieve what you want most. Most of all, to me it touches (lightly) on the impossibility to ever truly know another person.
Just like Shakespeare’s plays, I don’t think a single viewing, performance, or entire production of this play can adequately convey the concepts discussed, nor should it strive to do so. I wanted to give the actors the freedom to tell the stories they wanted to tell, and I was very fortunate to work with some incredible artists, with diverse wheel-houses and the willingness to step outside those comfort zones, and with such enthusiasm for what they were doing. There was not a single instance of grief, and many, many moments of excitement, revelation, and reward. Directing plays used to be a chore (not least of all because I didn’t really know what I was doing), but A Thousand Times Goodnight was one of the most artistically rewarding projects in my life.
This is mostly thanks to Chris and Marcee, who put me up (and put up with me) for months now, giving me the security to focus on the show. They absorbed a lot of terrible headaches for me, and this show wouldn’t even have existed without them. It’s unfortunate that more producers can’t be patrons, but I am very fortunate to have enjoyed their generosity. It sounds like the show has created some good buzz for TheaterRED, but it’s small potatoes against what they’ve earned and the great gift they have given me. I also got to play board games with them while I was here, which was a gift unto itself.
And speaking of gifts in human form, Zach Zembrowski is a god among mere mortals. This show could have been a technical nightmare despite my minimalist ambitions, but Zach showed up like the metaphorical cavalry that he is and rescued us. Anyone who knows him knows I’m preaching to the choir, but this guy is a godsend.
Now that the show is over, my fortune is uncertain too. I have no idea where I’m going to be next year, or even next month for that matter. I risked more than a little stability to come do this show, but I’ve never been more satisfied with my decisions as a theater guy.
Words like ‘gratitude’ are sadly inadequate to describe what I was given, but it’ll have to do for now. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen.