Justin Anderson talks taking on firecrackers
Justin Anderson just finished directing the premiere of Angry Fags (7 Stages), and now has two new productions opening this week: Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood (Synchronicity Theatre) and The Fabulous Lipitones (Theatrical Outfit). I have named him the hardest working director in Atlanta, and bow down to his fearlessness for taking on all things theater and making them shine.
Below Anderson talks about his experience with story telling, toeing many lines drawn in the sand, and if he will spill the beans on who is his favorite theater baby.
Q. Angry Fags took on so much heavy material and violence, as a director it must have been difficult to decide where to draw the line and when to actually allow your audience to squirm when faced with such a mirror image of real issues in society. How did you make these decisions?
A. With a lot of care and consideration. Part of why I go to theatre is my desire and expectation to feel something, to be moved, to be challenged, to be shaken. In approaching Angry Fags, I knew there were a plethora of moments that would do just that for an audience. Suspense thrillers and horror stories can’t be successfully executed on stage…no one would stay in the room if the threat was real. Those worlds hold up much better on screen. For stage, you want to strike a balance between the full manifestation of violence and the essence of violence, allowing yourself the opportunity to earn specific moments to cash in with the audience.
Q. It is clear that you love what you do and aren’t afraid to take on new shows, or plays that push the limits a little bit. Is there anything that you won’t take on?
A. I love telling stories, so if it’s worth a telling, how can I refuse?
Q. You are going from Angry Fags, a very adult show, to Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood, a very young show, and The Fabulous Lipitones, a musical comedy. Was it hard to transition over to such a vastly different pieces of material?
A. Not really. It’s actually a lot of fun to bounce between genres.
Q. Just like Angry Fags, Petite Rouge seems like it could be one of those plays that gets out of control, there are so many elements and it warrants a lot of fun, how do keep it wrangled in and what are the points where you decide to complete let it loose?
A. You’re right, Petite Rouge is a firecracker. The biggest challenge is to make sure the audience is having as much fun as the actors are on stage. It’s about sharing and inviting them in to our party. There are plenty moments of calculation and plenty moments of letting loose. Trust me, you’ll know what those are when you see the show.
Q. As a director, what is your favorite moment during the production process? And has there been a stand out instance of this?
A. I think it really depends on the show. There have been projects where I’ve really loved the table work phase. Others where the staging was very invigorating. Still others that truly came to life in tech. Choosing a stand out instance is kind of like someone choosing their favorite child. I don’t have any kids…so I don’t have to choose, right?!
