This was my first production in a fully professional theater
and, beyond any of my wildest expectations, the play became extremely
controversial. Poles have idealized the United States, thanks
to its Cold War role in defeating the former Soviet or Soviet-satellite
communist regimes (for which I am naturally as grateful as anyone
of Polish or American heritage!). At a moment when the Polish
government was making the decision to join the Coalition of the
Willing in Iraq, many Poles did not want to hear about Vietnam
or about social and racial injustice in America (though I would
like to know where there is a place without injustice, because
when I do find out, I will move there tomorrow!). Some of these
Poles were pretty highly placed, which lead to some real fireworks
in the press. While a debuting theatrical director is usually
given about a paragraph in newspapers, I had entire pages dedicated
to my play, including color photographs. Not everyone had nice
things to say about the play, the playwright, or me! I learned
quickly, however, that this fills the house like nothing short
of a tabloid scandal. Equally passionate supporters of the play
and its aesthetic also appeared on the scene. It was exciting,
sometimes a little more than I could handle!
This was my first play after attending a film school and making
films, so I took a much more multi-media and cinematic approach
to the aesthetic of the play. Some people called this “poetic,”
but my goal was in fact to simply immerse the audience in an environment
as much as possible. I worked with my father, who was the production
designer, and the wonderful techies of the theater to create a
truly 360-degree environment of sound and light. Coupled with
directing the actors to sometimes interact with or confront audience
members, it truly broke down the “fourth wall,” which
I felt was something that the text was inviting me to do. As I
also had the opportunity to be in frequent contact with the playwright,
I consulted with him on making sure that I wasn’t pushing
the envelope too far with directing decisions. He came, he saw
and he liked it when it opened, lucky for me!
Continued...