Go Like Saints

June 16-17, 2023

This was a dynamic staged reading I directed for the 2023 Pegasus PlayLab festival of new plays. Go Like Saints is a play by Skye Robinson Hillis set in 1951 Hollywood during the height of the second Red Scare. The story revolves around a group of friends who face intense fear and anxiety as their livelihoods are threatened by the political climate. The central character, Eliza Everett, a noted screenwriter, is called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Her response to the questioning sends shockwaves through the industry and deeply affects those closest to her1.

This show explores themes of loyalty, censorship, and the moral dilemmas faced by individuals during a time of political persecution. It provides a compelling look at how people navigate their principles and relationships when under extreme pressure, and it is thus an excellent metaphor for our times.

My vision for this production was grounded in the elegance and clarity of Hillis’s text . Though this was a staged reading, the actors sat in the background and dynamically transitioned between scenes with scripts in hand. I encouraged our costume designers to go with a color palette of black and white, with accents of red, to evoke the play’s film noir essence. Our use of simple and historically accurate sound and lighting helped build the world of this truly impactful new play.