TTB: Boeing Boeing won the 1998 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play, what can audiences look forward to seeing in your 2022 production?
Patrick: When I saw the play I was totally impressed with Mark Rylance and Christine Baranski’s performances and the three actors portraying the flight attendants were hilarious. The details for each character rang true even with the broad physicality of the production. I’m not particularly drawn to farce but this production, while physical and broad, also added a depth to each character so that they didn’t become stereotypical. When Susan asked me to consider the play I remembered how I had responded to the NY production as an audience member and when I reread the script I felt it was one that we could have a lot of fun with if we found the right actors to bring it to life. Luckily, I think we have. We still have broad, physical humor but also richer and more realistic characters than what you normally see when watching a farce. It still has the crazy, improbable situations you would expect but I wanted to capitalize on the moment to moment experiences those situations bring to each character and build the physical movements from the emotional moments the playwright created.
TTB: Audiences may recall the last TTB Recommended production you directed at Early Bird Dinner Theater, Spirit Level (2019), What do you like about directing comedies?
Patrick: If you examine the plays I have done at EBDT, Spirit Level, Fully Committed, Sylvia and others, a common theme is the humanity that each playwright has built into the play. Believable characters bring about the humor of a play and I’m drawn to the experiences that each character has in relation to the plot. If I trust the character, I trust the humor will reach the audience in a truthful and enjoyable way.
TTB: Tell us what you hope audiences take away from this production?
Patrick: Every audience is so different and they experience a play in so many different ways. As you know, I can be a very direct critic and I understand not every play will satisfy every audience member. As a former TTB judge I’ve felt the energy and excitement from a terrific production and the letdown when the production didn’t soar. But I always enter the theatre wanting to be entertained and to enjoy the total experience. As a director I want that for every audience member. Laugh, cry, enjoy the set, the costumes, the sound, the lights and the actors. Embrace the fact they each person working on the show, from the painters to the stage manager to the producer, put their talents to work to bring the play to life. If the audience is brought into our creative world and forgets the outside world for two hours, that is a powerful and emotionally fulfilling result for everyone involved in the production. And that reads like “There’s no business like show business.” And it’s true.
TTB: Can you tell us about the casting process for this show, or how you and Susan selected your creative team?
Patrick: This will be my sixth or seventh production with Susan. It has obviously worked – for both of us! We enjoy the process. I will send her scripts and she sends me scripts. I don’t think we’ve ever agreed on a play during our first meeting. No, we both agreed immediately when we discussed Sylvia. Once the play is chosen, I always ask if we can get Dean Wick to design the set and John Burchett to design the lights. I’ve worked with both of them ever since I left NY and moved here in 2013. They are so brilliantly talented and really understand my approach. They don’t always agree and that’s great because it challenges all three of us to find a working solution. Once we have our physical plan, we set up the auditions. Rarely do we precast a show. I did with Fully Committed because it is one man creating over 30 characters and I knew from directing Alan Mohney in other productions that he was the actor I wanted for the role. But for the most part, I literally pray that the best actor for each part walks into the room and blows me away with their audition. It has changed a bit because of Covid and Boeing Boeing resulted in casting actors I have worked with before with just a few wonderful exceptions that we discovered when they came to the audition. Susan and I discuss each actor and each character after auditions and I rely on her honest opinions about the actors and her vast experience and knowledge in producing plays. It is a true collaboration and has worked very well for us. I wouldn’t change a thing. Well, maybe one or two things but that’s what a director does isn’t it?!
