‘Spatter Pattern’ opens in Chatham March 6
Shannon Barry O’Grady recently received as rich a compliment as any novice director could want.
O’Grady was directing a scene from “Spatter Pattern,” a thriller being presented by Chatham Community Players. An actress who had been watching the rehearsal later said to O’Grady, “I’d like to be directed by you. I think I’d learn a lot.”
That would be significant praise coming from any actor. But in the case, the compliment was doubly appreciated, because the actress was O’Grady’s mother, Ellen Barry, whose performing credits run from Shakespeare to Tennessee Williams.
“That meant a lot to me,” says O’Grady. “I’ve learned so much from her as an actress, and I learned so much from my father as a director.”
O’Grady was referring to her late father, Paul Barry, the respected actor and director who co-founded the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival (which evolved into the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey).
The lessons O’Grady garnered from watching her parents are being applied in her direction of “Spatter Pattern,” a psychological thriller with the subtitle “How I Got Away with It.” The play runs at Chatham from tonight through 21.
The script by Neal Bell focuses on Edward Dunn (played by Dale Monroe of Morristown). Dunn, a screenwriter living in Manhattan, is suffering from writer’s block in part because of his grief over the death of his longtime partner.
Dunn’s life takes a curious turn when he encounters one of his neighbors, Marcus Tate (Jody Ebert of Westfield). Tate has been accused of murdering one of his students, with whom he may or not have been having an affair.
In O’Grady’s view, “Spatter Pattern” rises above its murder-mystery premise because of its psychological complexity. “It’s interesting because it deals with issues like the nature of loss and the nature of truth,” she says.
In addition, she says she is drawn to the play’s humor. “There are some dark, comedic accents,” she says. “The secondary characters are colorful, New York types. Every time I read this play, I get something out of it.”
An armchair psychologist might try to make a connection between “Spatter Pattern,” a play about loss, and the fact that O’Grady lost her father this past September. But she feels that such a link is erroneous.
“The play shows that, with death, comes a sense of guilt,” O’Grady says. “The characters mourn the things they don’t say.”
“That wasn’t the case with my father. I didn’t have that guilt,” she says. “He had a very long struggle (with cancer). But I saw him often, and I never missed the chance to tell him that I loved him.”
The experience of working on “Spatter Pattern” has been a gratifying one, according to O’Grady. She praises her cast, from the two leads to the supporting players.
“All the best directors I’ve worked with try to help the actors find the characters,” she says. “Every actor is different, and you have to take the time to learn how each one works.”
O’Grady feels that working on a relatively lesser-known work such as “Spatter Pattern” is an advantage. “This is a play where there’s still so much to explore.”
That sense of discovering layers to new works is one reason why O’Grady is reluctant to follow the example of her father, who starred and directed all of the Bard’s plays.
“Shakespeare is amazing,” O’Grady says. “But there are so many modern playwrights that I’d like to direct.”
‘SPATTER PATTERN (OR HOW I GOT AWAY WITH IT)’
WHAT: Neal Bell’s psychological mystery centers on a screenwriter whose guilt over the death of his partner has led to a severe case of writer’s block. His life takes a turn when he encounters one of his neighbors, a college professor who has been accused of murdering a co-ed with whom he may have been having an affair. The play is for adult audiences because of language and themes.
WHEN: Through March 21, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 15 only
WHERE: Chatham Community Players, 23 N. Passaic Ave., Chatham
TICKETS: $23 for youths and seniors, $25 for others.
INFORMATION: 973-635-7363 and www.chathamplayers.org.