Celebrating Ten Plays

An interview with Terra Nova director Jake Scaltreto

FET: This is your tenth show directing with Flat Earth. What would you say is the Jake Scaltreto trademark? What kinds of shows draw you to them?

Jake: I don’t know if I have a ‘trademark’ per se, but I would say that my goal with all shows I direct is to be as seamless as possible; that all of the moving pieces work together to create an experience for the audience that immerses them in the storytelling. I think one edge that theatre has over TV and film is that the audience is in the same room, often feet away. Theatre is a shared experience between the performers and the audience, and anything you can do to bring the audience into the world of the play is a good thing. I try to pick scripts that foster that level of emotional engagement.

FET: What makes Terra Nova your kind of show?

Jake: Ted Tally has done something really special with Terra Nova. It would be very tempting to do a play about the Scott expedition that took a documentary approach, but instead we’re given a complex, moving character study. This is not a play about dates, names, or even places; it’s about human beings who took risks, made mistakes, and suffered unspeakable loss. Tally’s writing allows us to see these characters as real people, and to connect emotionally with their struggles.

FET: How do you make it your own?

Jake: It’s the director’s job to present the play as the playwright intended, remaining true to the story. That said, there are myriad ways in which an individual production can enhance a story, drawing the audience’s focus toward what’s important. For this show, I wanted to focus on the character of Scott specifically, and his journey as an arguably failed leader. Tally was nice enough to bookend the script with scenes that allow us to frame the story from Scott’s perspective. The scenes are written to flow fluidly and can feel—at times—like a dream, which is an aspect we chose to emphasize. This is very much “Scott’s Dream;” we’re not just seeing these events play out, we’re experiencing them as he might have, complete with all of his doubts, insecurities, triumphs, and failures. The strength of the script, as well as the magnificently talented and intuitive cast, made my job very easy.