Why "Killer Joe?"

We are an ensemble of 20+ artists. To select a season of plays we must come to a consensus. Here's our process: 

In August, at a weekly MET ensemble meeting, we start discussing the plays that each of us have been reading over the past six months or so, some classics, and a few musical selections.  Ensemble members then lobby other company members to read the plays that they are most passionate about.  Then, in late October or early November, we meet as an ensemble to create a "short list" -- between 12 and 20 plays, keeping in mind that we will want to select 1 musical, 1 original project, 1-2 dramas, and 2-3 comedies.

Those plays then get read by the company.  In late January or early February, we have a winter retreat for the company where those that have read all or most of the plays from the "short list" are polled.  We use the polling system to get information about which plays from the list stand out- then, as a group, we build a consensus by looking at all the plays and which plays will go together well in a season.

In January of 2007, one of our top "vote getters" was "Killer Joe" by Tracy Letts.  The only negatives from our company was "with the theme, nudity, and violence- can we actually do this play?"  We began discussing the season, and "Killer Joe" was, by far, the most exciting piece of theatre.  As a group, we realized that, artistically, we had no choice but to produce "Killer Joe" in the 2007-2008 season.  After the decision we all felt a sense of relief (that we came together as a group over a tough choice) and a sense of foreboding (in how our audience would react).

Now, here we stand, 13 months later.  "Killer Joe" has opened and the audience seems to be as excited about the choice as we are!  Opening weekend saw houses of 90% capacity and a standing ovation.  This weekend has seen a flood of e-mails from patrons and company members that talk about "courage" and "passion"- "exciting theatre" and doing "important work," "stepping our of our comfort zone" and doing the theatre that "rocks!"  On Saturday night, there was an unassuming guy- about 26 years old, sporting athletic apparel (team cap, team jacket, nylon jogging pants), after the show hanging around.  He was just beaming... smiling ... nodding his head ...  He saw me, came up, and just said "awesome, man, that was just great."  Now I wouldn't peg this guy as a regular "theatre goer."  And, my feeling is that he's not- but, he was struck.  This is a play where one can come in expecting some one thing, but the play grabs them in a totally different way.

This is the type of theatre- no- the type of social interaction, that I live for.  It's why I do theatre- you know why? Because that is what first grabbed about this artform- it was theatre that "kicked my ass."  Theatre that grabbed me by the throat and said "this ain't a movie- and this sure the hell ain't "Oklahoma!" I was hooked, and from the looks of it- this past weekend hooked a few more.