Interview: Jeff Gould Always Makes FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO DIVORCE, Marriage & Sex

The earlier run of Jeff Gould's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Divorce is being restarted at the 'still unnamed theatre.' Already opened, Marc Antonio Pritchett directs Divorce through November 20, 2022. Jeff managed to spare some time between writing and touch-up rehearsals to answer a few of my queries.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Jeff!

What creative gods originally brought you together with SkyPilot Theatre Company for this production?

It was a fluke. I was eating at a cafe with a friend one day, and at the next table, there were several people talking about theater and scripts. I interrupted and asked what they were doing. They told me they were a theater company looking for scripts to produce. At that time, I was close to producing this play myself, but I thought I would first submit it to them and see what happened. They liked it, did a successful reading of it, and eventually produced it.

This Divorce had a two-month stint at the Two Roads Theatre just ending September 11, 2022. What made you decide to reopen at the (still unnamed) Theatre on Santa Monica Blvd.?

Because it was going great and we wanted to keep going. The second half of the run, we were selling out and getting an overall great response. We would have just continued the run there, but the theater was already booked for quite a while after us, so we had to move. And the unnamed theater, for anyone who wants to know, is attached to the Complex on Santa Monica Blvd. The reason it is unnamed is because navigation will take you to the wrong place if you plug in the name. We can't afford that.

Are all the cast reprising their roles?

Yes! The entire original cast are all still in it, plus a few new understudies. They are excellent actors and have all done a great job. I am honored and excited that they are enjoying it so much and want to keep going. And I'm quite sure the great job Shelby Janes has done producing it, also makes the actors want to continue.

Were there any unexpected audience reactions that took you by surprise?

A little bit. There are certain lines in the show that are getting great laughs, that I didn't intend to be laugh lines. I realize why they are funny now, and I love that the audience is laughing, but it's almost annoying (in a good way) that some of those lines are getting bigger laughs than a few of my favorite lines that I thought I wrote so cleverly.

Are you tweaking the script any for this run?

No, not really. We already did a bunch of tweaking during rehearsal and the original run. That's pretty standard procedure. And of course, it can always be improved till the end of time, but for now I think it's in pretty good shape as it is.

You directed your Is There Sex After Marriage? yourself in 2014. Rick Shaw directed your It's Just Sex and Marc Antonio Pritchett is directing A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Divorce. What factors into deciding whether or not you direct your own material?

To tell you the truth, I want to direct them all myself, unless someone else is producing it, and I don't have a choice. I originally directed "It's Just Sex" in two productions, but then Rick took an interest in the play and wanted to produce and direct it. And he has done so much with the play, for which I am extremely grateful. And Marc directed "Divorce" because he was part of the theater company. And he also did an excellent job. So I can't complain. They say writers shouldn't direct their own stuff, but that's just an opinion. If I am producing it, I direct. I find it too frustrating keeping my mouth shut during most of the rehearsal time.

How long has the gestation period for Divorce been?

It's been much longer than I planned. This took a few years to write because I started it, then put it down and picked it back up a few times. Then when I finally thought it was about ready, I wanted to produce it, but I was also writing my play "The Marriage Zone" at the same time. I fell in love with that play and decided to put it up first. Then of course, I hooked up with SkyPilot and we were ready to go, in rehearsals, and a week from opening, when the pandemic hit. But finally, the time seemed right this past July and we did it. So to answer your question, "Too long."

When does one of your scripts become set in stone? After a couple of workshop readings? Post-dress rehearsal? Following the opening night curtain call?

Never. If I, or anyone else ever have an idea to make it better, no matter how small, I'm interested. And if I agree with the idea, I change it. I've had a few times where we were four or five months into a run and changed a couple of lines here and there.

What gives you the most gratification? Typing "The End' on your word processor? Watching the cast you've directed receive their adulation? Being onstage yourself as yourself (stand-up)?

All of the above, but the best for me is at the end of a show watching the audience file out of the theater talking about how much they enjoyed it. I don't think anything could top that. But I also have understudied and appeared in a few of my shows. That's not my first priority, but it's also a big kick.

You are also a professional poker player. What strategy tips would you give an amateur player?

The first lesson is to have the discipline and patience to wait for the right cards. If you don't have that, then you have no chance. After that, find a game with weak players. You can afford to make 50 mistakes a day, if you play in a game where other players are making 100 mistakes. After that, watch how the other players play, and keep playing and learning

What's in the near future for Jeff Gould?

Currently I'm writing a series of 10-minute plays. I have never done that before. I plan to produce an evening of them in the near future.

Thank you again, Jeff! I look forward to seeing your Divorce.

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