Along the way, I have had my usual second thoughts and self doubts, but they have receded easily enough. I questioned my decision to take a three act play and turn it into a two act. I worried about the set not fulfilling my expectations, I had reservations about playing down the special effects to focus on the humanity of the story. There was an actor who had to leave the show quite suddenly, and another who had trouble getting to rehearsals. All of these problems eventually resolved themselves, and I stuck to my guns. I also reminded myself that theater is the most collaborative of all the art forms, and one must trust the team. Always trust the team!
Still, as has also been reiterated throughout the creative process, someone has to be responsible for the final result. I have always maintained that the only person who has to be made to be happy throughout the production is the director. Because, ultimately, it falls to the director to make the audience happy.
I was given the job as a result of my presentation to the board which hired me. I told them what I was going to do, and what I expected to see when all was done. They liked my ideas enough to hand me the responsibility to entertain their audiences. If people don't laugh, if something seems false and forced, there is nothing for it but to point the finger at me and say, "Blame him."
This, to a certain extent, actually happened to me one time. I directed a production of Neil Simon's Rumors, and a group of conservative Christians complained to board members following a performance about the language in the show. I literally watched the board members point fingers at me, and sent the complainers in my direction. That memory remains one of the highlights of my stage career. Incidentally, two of the actors from that show will be on the Audi stage this weekend.
