playbill vip

NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR

I saw this show in New York City, with the original Broadway cast, years after I had first read the book.  I was astonished by the adaptation of the world of the book, and the mind of Christopher, to the world of the stage.  I have been waiting for the perfect time to direct this piece.

I have always been intruiged by the human ability to create a world that works for them, navigate through what doesn't work or intimidates or scares them in order to protect themselves.  I am fascinated and in awe of Christopher's ability to face the part of the world that truly scares him in order to be true to himself.  Christopher says that he cannot lie, and so in order to prove that, more for himself than for others, he goes to staggering lengths to learn a truth.

As a teacher of students from every walk of life, ability, and background, this is the most intruiging play I have ever had the honor to work on.  To see a character from an under-represented dynamic of society play the hero gives me goosebumps each time we dive into the world of the play.

This show is meant to reflect the linear world of Christopher's mind, and his propensity for the truth, and his love of math.  Our student designers and crew have been working for months on designing and creating the world of the play to act as a glimpse into what makes Christopher tick.

I am so grateful to my students, the students like Christopher whom I have had the pleasure of teaching in the past and present, for showing me a glimpse of their lives, letting me be a part of their journey, and how to learn how to alter my own teaching and directing in order to give them an experience that will become a part of the fabric of their lives.

It is to these students, the students I hope to have in the future, and the people who walk around our world judged and misunderstood, that this production is dedicated to.

Thank you for coming, and I hope you enjoy the show.

~Stacy Castiglione