What I Learned From Heartsgaard

As I write this, it's been a day and a half since the rousing final performance of Heartsgaard. Some folks know this and some folks don't, but the entire climax of the show wound up being totally unscripted - and sitting in the audience, it was terrifying and powerful to see the show come to a head without the benefit of any script support.

One thing I learned from the experience was a deeper, more profound trust for my actors. Without any help from me, they played out the conflict and ended it the moment there was nothing left to say or do. Without a doubt, this is the most skilled, gifted ensemble of young actors working in Los Angeles - and perhaps even in the world today. That sounds like hyperbole, but it's actually just plain speaking. Everyone who has worked with us or seen this cast perform has said the same thing: "I've never seen a group of actors like this."

Working for such a gifted collective is frightening, challenging - and the most rewarding experience of my life.

Letting go, I think, is the big lesson here. From the get-go, this show has resisted our efforts to define it. When we tried to squeeze it into a theatrical space, when we tried to cast people who weren't quite right, when we tried to market it the way we were marketing Sam Bailey, things kept falling apart. When we gave into the experimentation, our actors bloomed magnificently and the audience wound up loving the experience.

Some shows require a surer hand. Sam Bailey couldn't work like this. At the same time, knowing when to let go is something I've had a hard time with... and our closing night was a spectacular display of the riches that await those who practice that particular skill.

Thank you, Heartsgaard. Thanks to my cast - each and every one of you is a miracle in my life, for which I am profoundly grateful.

Next up: LA FRINGE!!!!

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