When he’s directing a show, Todd Hunter says the question he gets asked most often is, “Who’s the sympathetic character?” It’s a question that hasn’t gotten any easier to answer.
“I’m attracted to flawed characters,” he says.
That was one of the things that led him to “Killer Joe,” his production of playwright Tracy Letts’ dark tale of murder and family set in a Texas trailer park. It’s an intense, often violent show, with a cast of characters that seem, at first glance, to be entirely irredeemable. But, on stage at The Players’ Ring in Portsmouth from Oct. 16-Nov. 1, Hunter says the cast digs deep into their characters and brings out the humor and humanity hidden in the play.
“There’s a lot of beauty to be found in these very bad people doing very bad things,” Hunter says.
And there are bad people doing bad things to spare in “Killer Joe.” The play finds small-time drug dealer Chris Smith (Kyle Milner) hatching a plan to bump off his estranged mother. She’s got a big life insurance policy and he’s got some huge debts. Chris’ step-father, Ansel (Michael Towle), sets him up with Joe Cooper (Matthew Schofield), a local cop and contract killer. The plan’s simple, but the complications start immediately. Chris can’t afford Joe’s retainer, and Joe is suddenly sweet on Chris’ sister, Dottie (Jessica Miller).
There are lots of shocks in “Killer Joe,” Hunter says, but the play’s humor sets it apart from other thrillers.
“I was astounded at how much I was laughing at some of the dialog,” Hunter says. “That pulled me into it. I’ve done plenty of intense shows, but what drew me in was the humor and the characters.”
That made finding the right cast particularly important. There were no auditions — Hunter had specific actors in mind for each role and met with them individually to discuss the play. In fact, the production started after Schofield mentioned on Facebook that Joe was in the top five roles he’d always wanted to play. Coincidentally, it was a show Hunter had always been eager to direct.
“I’ve done plenty of intense shows, but what drew me in was the humor and the characters.”
— director Todd Hunter
“The challenge for me is there’s an arc to this character,” says Schofield. “In one scene, he’s incredibly vicious and violent, and there are other moments that have this tenderness. These are all organic feelings that stem from a place in that one person.”
When rehearsals began, Towle says, the cast “had an instant rapport and instant trust with each other.” That trust is important for any production, but especially in a show where characters have to visit violence and mayhem upon each other. And, according to Hunter, the cast’s chemistry has resulted in some “surprising” performances.
“All the extreme things are done with such commitment from the actors that it’s not uncomfortable,” Miller says. “It’s all grounded in the truth of the characters and the truth of the situation.”
“Killer Joe” was Letts’ first play and was adapted as a feature film in 2012. The action takes place in the Smith family’s trailer, a setting that’s perfect for a small theater like the Ring.
“The audience will be challenged by the aesthetic distance,” Towle says. “I hope they steep in it. … It’s meant to challenge you, meant to make you think.”
In other words, it’s the perfect play for a month full of dark delights. “It’s very much a roller coaster ride,” Hunter says. “I want the audience to laugh, and scream, and get off (the ride) and feel a little wobbly. … People in October are in the mood for something with some teeth.”
“Killer Joe” is on stage Oct. 16-Nov. 1, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. (Sun., Nov. 1 at 3 p.m.) at The Players’ Ring, 105 Marcy St., Portsmouth. Tickets are $15, available at 603-436-8123 or playersring.org.