Eileen Tull keeps high spirits at Theatre Wit

From left to right: Ilyssa Fradin (Clara), Téa Baum (Rox), and Nathan Hile (Erik) in Household Spirits at Theatre Wit. Photos by Charles Osgood.

Household Spirits, written by Mia McCullough, is in its final week at Theatre Wit. Director, Eileen Tull, took McCullough’s script filled with raw language that examines suicide, familial bonds, addiction, and a slough of other traumas in a single family and brought joy to what could have a been, in different hands, an overly emotionally haunting play. With a penchant for comedy, Tull navigated the painful truths of Household Spirits the way a comic would. Never shying from a blow, knowing that the audience will relate and become more intrigued with every vulnerable moment as long as they are free to laugh away the tears. Below, Tull talks about how her own experiences influenced her artistic choices, perseverance, play and being open to what comes next.

Q. Household Spirits seems very much fitted for you as a director. It's honest, bold, and rife with humor to cut through the painful realities. What was it about this project that drew you to it?

A. It definitely hit a lot of my points of interest/expertise. As a recovering addict and alcoholic, it's subject matter that I'm close to. I'm also so interested in telling stories that explore darkness and grief and pain with humor. This play is about a lot of things, but mostly I think it's about perseverance. Especially in relation to a story about suicide, it's important to tell stories about people persevering through trauma. And if you can do it with some levity, even better.

Q. Written by Mia McCullough, the language itself is raw and doesn't shy away from talking about taboo topics in a sometimes seemingly flippant manner. From Columbine to disordered eating, both the young and aged characters talk about, or not, the tough topics in a way that skirts the trauma standing right in front of them. What was it about McCullough's way of treating dialogue that intrigued you the most?

A. There isn't a lot unsaid in this script! There's a brutal honesty through this piece; our characters are not always correct or kind but they say what they think. I really love the way Mia is able to broach some of these heavier topics in a way that still lives in realism. Each character has their own manner of speaking and cadence. Mia will often talk about thinking of her plays as musical or symphonic. There is a definite rhythm to the back and forth.

Q. You have spoken openly about your own battles and recovery with addiction. How did your own experiences with addiction and recovery influence the nuanced ways that each individual treated not only the topic of addiction but the addict in the play?

A. It's interesting, I've been asked if working on this piece has triggered me in any way. I've found that while I relate to some of the struggles in the play, every addict's story is different. We can overlap a lot, but there's still so much that lives outside of my own experience. What I did find interesting was the exploration around compulsion. Every character in the play struggles with their coping mechanisms. Several of the characters are trying to drown things out, so they don't have to face the hard truths.

Q. The parental relationships in Household Spirits are strained to say the least. We see the extreme of a mother wanting to take her own son's life to the more casual closeting of hurts and wants that cause thick walls to form. In no way are parental figures in this play portrayed as perfect beings filled with endless love. What was it about these flawed relationships that drew you into this project? And what was the process like during the rehearsal process to negate the urge to be the perfect person or have the perfect bond?

A. In rehearsals, we talked about how none of these characters consider themselves the villain. Everyone has their own agenda that they think is the right thing to do. The same can be said for most parents. It's frightening, humbling, and comforting to wake up one day and look at your parents and think, "oh my god, they're just a couple of people. Not to say they aren't responsible for their actions, but I've been working on de-mythologizing my family members. They aren't or weren't perfect, but they're also not the worst humans in history. This is also the line of thinking I've applied to my own sobriety journey. Throughout the preview performances, I was curious what the audience's impressions were of certain characters, particularly the four parents. With some of that feedback, we modulated some things, like the dialogue scenes between Philip and Evelyn. It was important to all of us that Evelyn didn't come off as the wicked stepmother and Philip wasn't a just a dopey dad.

Q. The play, despite it all, never feels bleak or tortured, the relationships are nuanced and there is heart there. We especially see that with the relationship between Erik (Nathan Hile) and Rox (Téa Baum), two step-siblings trying to find where they fit in their own family. I wonder how you found the balance of hope and joy amongst it all?

A. As tough as some of the issues in this play are, the process was absolutely full of joy. We sought out and we were very lucky to find an incredible group of artists who prioritize kindness and compassion in the workplace. So that certainly helped! I am a person with large swaths of family, most of whom experience large waves of dysfunction. Through that, I've learned that the necessity of communication and inclusivity in family dynamics. I'm pleased to have brought that both to the play and to the creative process. But really, the secret to it all, if there is one, is a sense of play. To let yourself play, you have to be open to what comes. You have to joyfully welcome the next moment, one day at a time.