2006 Tony Awards Q&A: Wilson Milam

Nominated for Best Director of a Play for The Lietenant of Inishmore, Wilson Milam helmed the show from London, to Off-Broadway to Broadway. He also directed Patrick Marber's Closer in San Francisco and The Wexford Trilogy at the Tricycle. His production of David Rabe's Hurlyburly for the Peter Hall Company at the Old Vic and Queen's theatres, London, was nominated for two Olivier Awards including one for Best Play. Chicago credits include Pot Mom at Steppenwolf; The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial at A Red Orchid Theatre; Skeleton at Shattered Globe Theatre, and Killer Joe at the Next Lab Theatre, a production that moved to the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh where it won the Scotsman Fringe First Award. In New York, Mr. Milam directed Killer Joe at the Soho Playhouse in 1998, and the staged reading of The Glory of Living for New Plays at the Public Theater. He is a founding member and Artistic Director of The Hired Gun Theatre Company.

 

Where did you get the news about your Tony nomination?

I was actually here in New York in a cab to the airport to get on a flight to Los Angeles. I checked my email quickly and checked online before the flight. When I saw the news I cancelled it!

Who did you call first?

The first person I called was Martin (McDonagh), since it's his show, and his world, and we're all just living in it.

You've had a unique experience in that you got to 'open' the show twice this season, first Off-Broadway and now on, what has that been like?

It's been great being able to work on and to expand the show from London to Off Broadway, and now to Broadway. That's been a great experience.

Has the show changed at all through that journey?

When we got the news that we were moving to Broadway it all happened so fast, but we got together and thought what could we do to make this bigger? We did things here and there, added a little more gore, made some moments bigger, and I think it worked.

And how have audiences been reacting?

Audiences have been loving it, and I love that they'll all laugh at different things, and will enjoy different moments. That's a lot of fun to watch, and I can never get enough of it.

How will you be celebrating your nomination?

Since I cancelled my plans, I'll be going to the show tonight with a bottle of champagne to celebrate and I can't wait to see the cast, and to thank them all. It's a tight-knit bunch and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Growing up, were you a fan of the Tony Awards?

I always watched the Tonys growing up, and just like the Oscars, it all looks a little cold and a little distant when you're home watching it on TV. You always wonder what it's going to be like to be there and this year I'll find out!