A Conversation With Director Ronnie Marmo, “Brooklyn’s Way,” Theatre 68 Arts Complex, by James Scarborough

In Ronnie Marmo’s direction of Sam Henry Kass’ Brooklyn’s Way, we witness an intense exploration of artistic ambition and personal downfall, set against the ever-gritty backdrop of Los Angeles. Marmo, known for his character-driven narratives, brings a nuanced understanding of the complexities within Kass’ script. The play’s dual protagonists—Scoot, a seasoned writer caught in a web of his own making, and Brooklyn, a young, idealistic assistant—are navigated with a sensitivity that highlights their symbiotic yet destructive relationship. Marmo’s experience in acting, particularly in emotionally charged dramas like FBI: Most Wanted, Criminal Minds, I’m Not A Comedian…I’m Lenny Bruce, is evident in his ability to evoke a raw authenticity from his actors. The staging, within the intimate confines of Theatre 68, further intensifies the claustrophobic tension between the characters, making us a silent witness to their unraveling. Marmo’s direction not only underscores the play’s thematic concerns —ambition, despair, and the search for meaning in this irreverent dramedy—but also elevates Kass’s work to a poignant study of human frailty. This production confirms Marmo’s reputation as a director who can balance the delicate interplay of narrative and performance with profound insight.

JS: Brooklyn’s Way presents complex characters that oscillate between ambition and self-destruction. How did you approach directing these conflicting emotions, particularly in the context of the small, intimate setting of Theatre 68?

RM: It’s definitely a delicate balance. I think all of us having a human experience dance on the line between these things at any given moment. That is what makes a small intimate setting that much more powerful. People don’t come to theater to see YOU they come to see themselves in you. I encourage the actors to really find themselves amongst the circumstances of the piece and start the exploration from there. It is deeply intimate and being in such an intimate space just lends itself to the experience of being a part of this deeply private, devastatingly relatable sequence of events. 

JS: Given your extensive experience directing Sam Henry Kass’s plays, how does Brooklyn’s Way compare to his previous works? What new challenges did this script present?

RM: This is my six collaboration with Sam. I feel very honored and blessed that he trusts me with his material. His dialogue is unlike any other Playwright. The dialogue is fantastic, the subtext is incredibly rich and there’s a poetry to his words. With Sam’s material, I have to dig deeper as a Director than I do with most of the plays that I direct. Like in any piece of theater, we’re seeking the truth. But first, we have to break down and understand what’s really going on. So that of course presents some challenges during the rehearsal process. We have to explore beyond what is normally called for when approaching material and then when we find a gem, we have to dig that much deeper. The text is like a treasure map with all of these clues along the way. He challenges us to think and to be present… a thing that is sometimes easier said than done! Another challenge is making sure that the material is digestible for the audience. As the Director, I have to put myself in the place of the audience to make sure I’m understanding and comprehending everything because the play comes at you 100 miles an hour.

JS: The dynamic between Scoot and Brooklyn is central to the play. How did you work with the actors to ensure that this relationship resonated with the audience?

RM: We’re fortunate enough to be working from a Universal theme. We’ve been telling iterations of this story since the beginning of time. Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. There’s a crazy connection between then and away we go. But no two people are the same and every relationship has it’s own unique storyline so I had to really lean into dealing with exactly how they felt about each other. There are hundreds of thousands of people that we walk by every day. What is it about these two people that was like a magnet to each other. These two actors are incredible performers and what makes them incredible is their ability to drop into their experience. They really LIVE the reality of these two people falling in love. It’s unexpected and unrelenting and I think that every good love story has this air of serendipity. And above all things…. We ROOT FOR THEM. People resonate with the relationship because we see these flawed human beings loving and wanting to be loved and that’s all anyone really wants in it’s most primitive sense. 

JS: Your production history includes a mix of premieres and revivals. How does directing a world premiere like Brooklyn’s Way differ from approaching a well-established play?

RM: I love to nurture new work. When you’re working on a world premiere, you really are the first to figure out what the play is. You’re the one really figuring out the roadmap for this production and future productions. Putting my stamp on a brand-new piece is my favorite thing to do. It is very exciting but certainly not without its challenges. When approaching a revival, generally speaking there’s a bit of a roadmap already established for you to follow and then you make it your own. There is something to be said about breathing new life into something in a way that people haven’t seen before. But World Premieres is really something special. You are taking the words on the page and manifesting the writer’s vision into real life and paving the way for artists to then let it continue to grow and evolve. You are a part of the beginning of it’s journey.

JS: I’m Not A Comedian…I’m Lenny Bruce was a deeply personal project for you. In what ways, if any, did your experience with that show and playing the controversial Lenny Bruce, influence your direction of Brooklyn’s Way?

RM: Yes, I’m Not A Comedian…I’m Lenny Bruce has been a very personal project for me. There’s an appetite for Lenny Bruce around the country more now than ever and I feel so blessed that I still get to do it. Doing a one-man show really taught me all the elements of what makes a theater piece great. Amongst many things, it taught me the importance of detail and specificity. Performance is crucial but so is sound design, light design, you name it. All of the elements make up the whole package and all of them work together to bring the story to life in the best way possible. Lenny is also a one person show. It’s just me up there so I have to make sure that I don’t miss a beat up there. Brooklyn’s Way has two characters. They have the luxury of working off of each other but there is truly nowhere to hide. They have to rely on each other up there and that comes with trust and confidence in yourself and your partner. I direct with that intention in mind because both of them need to hold each other up to the light and make this material deeply personal to them and between them.

JS: The play deals with themes of artistic ambition and the pressures that come with it. How do you see these themes resonating with contemporary audiences, particularly in today’s cultural climate?

RM: I think people are inspired by what could be for themselves rather than what is and that is the root of all artistic ambition. That endless pursuit of what is possible, not probable and the glimmer of hope that keeps everyone running full speed ahead despite the odds. Our current, cultural climate certainly comes with its own challenges and I think there is a fear that comes with stepping outside of the status quo. Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of ridicule…. Even fear of success in some cases. If open to it, contemporary audiences will hopefully walk away from this play inspired to look at where they might be in their life and where that is in comparison to where they want to go. These characters both want more but it makes us question what that “more” is, how it shows up and ultimately how we might react to it if and when it does.

JS: Discuss your decision-making process when it comes to staging and set design in a play that is so character-driven. How do these elements support the narrative?

RM: When it comes to the staging, this one is fun because I broke all the rules! For example, we break the fourth wall quite a bit in this show and so I decided to do the same thing with our staging. Sometimes the actors are on stage and sometimes they’re in the audience and sometimes they’re on the side of the room off stage entirely. Basically, there were no rules in this one except to pursue the absolute truth and use the entire space to tell this story. We decided to just be honest and be present and see what came up for us. Also, this is the first time I’ve leaned into projection as my main source of design. I’m very excited about that. I feel like the simplicity of the projection lends itself to this production. It isn’t about the big fancy set pieces. The focus of the narrative is really around these two people. They are the world of it. So, the more I could put the emphasis on them the better supported the show is as a whole. Everything in this production begins and ends with them. Regardless of where the scene takes place, their magnetism is what created this blocking and staging. We let things happen organically and it works because it’s the truth.  

JS: The play touches on the mentor/mentee dynamic. How did you ensure this relationship was depicted with the complexity and nuance it deserves?

RM: Interestingly enough, I feel like the roles reverse pretty quickly. We learn early on that this dynamic is between two people who are at different points in their career but very much on the same wave length as people. Brooklyn is truly the one to run the show. She is so ahead of her time and clearly destined for that “more” we talked about earlier. As an audience member, the hierarchy dissipates as we meet two people who have no choice but to face the truth of where they are at this point in their lives. In doing so, they find solace and support and love for one another in all it’s complicated, messy, beautiful glory. The complexity and nuance of this dynamic is important. Telling that story with grace is important to me and we come to find that what Brooklyn initially may lack in experience, she very quickly makes up for in her demand of the space and her place in it. It’s hard to pinpoint who is the one mentoring who but ultimately, the answer to that becomes very clear.

JS: As a director who has worked on both coasts, how does the Los Angeles setting of Brooklyn’s Way influence your directorial approach compared to your work in New York?

RM: Well that’s really hard to say because although I’m a New Yorker through and through, I’ve been in Los Angeles for 25 years and I’ve spent a really good part of the last five years in Chicago. So, I feel like I’m influenced by all those things all at once. There is certainly a grittiness to NY Theatre that lends itself to Sam’s writing. That raw, uninhibited need to tell the absolute truth. I understand that need and Sam trusts me implicitly with his words. I don’t take that lightly and I use it to fuel each piece of direction that I give.

JS: Looking back on your long collaboration with Sam Henry Kass, what do you think makes his work particularly compelling for you as a director?

RM: Sam’s writing moves me in a way that is hard for me to articulate sometimes. I just understand the way Sam thinks and he understands me. There’s a trust and mutual respect there that is unlike no other collaboration or friendship. All that said, the bottom line is .. if it ain’t on the page it ain’t on the stage. Sam work is on the page! Every single one. This, as with all his work, is another incredibly written, funny, heartbreaking, beautiful piece of vulnerable, passionate truth and I feel so honored that he entrusted me to help bring his vision to life.

The play opens on Saturday, September 7th and runs through Sunday, October 13th. Performances are Friday & Saturday @ 8pm and Sunday @ 7pm. There will be a preview on Friday, Sept. 6th @ 8pm. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $20 for the preview. The Theatre 68 Arts Complex is located at 5112 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601. For more information, click here.