Interview with the Director of Meteor Shower, Nicholas Garelick

After the opening performance of “Meteor Shower” by Steve Martin, we checked in with the Director, Nicholas Garelick, to ask him about the show.

Question 1: Why did you want to direct this show?

I think the thing that most stood out, that made me want to be the guy behind the helm, was the opportunity to mess with the audience’s perceptions. You walk in thinking this is going to go one way, but it very quickly goes up and down, back and forth, and sideways as well. Much like the couple in the play, the audience is left with an unsteady feeling of what’s to come even though it all seems so normal and familiar.

Question 2: How would you describe your vision for this production?

I wanted to lean into the absurdity of both the story and the subject matter. Relationships are weird. People are weird. Meteor showers are an absolutely fascinating astronomical phenomena, but why? Do we consider all of nature that way? Do we think about that for ourselves and how we relate to others, or do we take it for granted? Take the familiar and twist it counter-clockwise and see what happens… and in this case, what happens is hilarious and thought-provoking.

Question 3: How has the rehearsal process been for this show? What has been exciting? What has been challenging?

The first obstacle to this show is figuring out what is even going on, since the absurdity, time jumps, and even the lines themselves tell a very wonky story. Several times during the read-through, we just had to stop and throw our arms up because we had no idea what was coming next. There are a lot of special effects that needed to be implemented, and it took us some time to figure out how to make it happen in such an intimate space. But what I think has been most exciting has been seeing the reaction of the audience when we reach the mid-point of the show, everything has hit the fan, and we still have several scenes left to go!

Question 4: What has been your favorite moment so far?

Easily, my favorite moment has been watching the actors come into their own through this show. At our read-through, I challenged them to make me pull them back. The thing was, this show goes so far our there that I had a hard time finding places to say “okay, pull it back.” Each one has found new and interesting ways to push themselves and the boundaries of the play to amazing levels.

Question 5: What should the audience be excited about seeing or experiencing at your show?

It’s Steve Martin being weird. Just don’t walk in with expectations and you should be fine.

Visit here to learn more about “Meteor Shower” and to get your tickets today.