Jumping in with Both Feet, Blindfolded

In today's post, Keith Fitzgerald, assistant to the director, describes how he came to be involved with the Firehouse production of Neil Labute's This is How it Goes. The play opens on Thursday, Oct. 29, and runs through Nov. 21. More information and tickets are available at the Firehouse Web site.
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I came on board with this team on This is How it Goes not really knowing what I was getting into. I am so thrilled that I did. I was seeking some directing experience and Carol Piersol was nice enough to talk to Director Bill Patton about whether he could use my help as an assistant on this production.

I have been a fan of Neil LaBute since my first year of college when my acting teacher's wife gave me a copy of The Shape of Things to read. She loved it and thought it would be a good thing for me to be familiar with. I fell in love with his writing.

So when Carol told me that Bill was willing to work with me and that it was one of Neil LaBute’s plays, I knew it was something I had be a part of.

I didn't get a copy of the script until the first read through. So I was going in blind and didn't know how incredibly thought provoking and morally challenging it was. That was a wonderful surprise. From the minute the read through started until the very last line, I was completely engaged.

Since that read through, I have read the script numerous times and watched it come to life. I have seen the three tremendous cast members ride an incredible emotional rollercoaster through the world of LaBute’s play and it has been a pleasure that will be long lasting in my mind. The way Bill Patton has encouraged the actors to "figure it out" has been something truly delightful to watch.

I am really looking forward to presenting the show to live audiences and seeing how they react, whether it strikes them the way it did for me on that first read through.

Theatre exists to challenge what you think you know about everything, "grab you by the balls", and not ever let go. This is How it Goes does just that. This play and works like it are the reason theatre is my passion and the reason you should come out to see this incredible production.

See you at the show!

Keith Fitzgerald
Assistant to the Director for This is How it Goes