Donnie Darko
American Repertory Theatre
Based on the screenplay by Richard Kelly
Adapted and directed by Marcus Stern
October 27 - November 18
Zero Arrow Theatre, Cambridge
Ticket and performance information

Bostonist has always wanted to speak with someone who actually saw Richard Kelly's 2001 drama "Donnie Darko" in a movie theater during its original run. Given the fact it was only shown on 58 screens nationwide during that brief October 2001 run, our odds are slim.

And yet "Darko" went on to become a cult classic, midnight screening staple, keystone in conversation, DVD hit and the object of a director's cut second run. Kelly was right to follow his instincts: it turns out that the story of an adolescent boy, six-foot-tall rabbit named Frank, and a world-ending premonition does have an audience - and quite the rabid one at that.

Like many "Darko" fans, Marcus Stern happened across the film. Flipping through the television channels one night, the artistic director of Cambridge's American Repertory Theatre caught an airing of the film about halfway through. He says he was immediately sucked into the world that Kelly presented: 1988 Virginia in which time travel and a fourth dimension fills the mind of an emotionally troubled teenager (Jake Gyllenhaal).

Soon thereafter, Stern set about to bringing "Darko" to the stage. A "Donnie Darko" workshop production was presented at ART's Zero Church rehearsal space several years ago and was later re-staged; now Stern is poised to bring his latest take on "Darko" to the Zero Arrow Theatre.

Bostonist chatted with Stern about all things "Darko" - read the interview after the jump! ***SPOILER ALERT*** There are several references to "Darko" plot elements - consider yourselves warned! Image courtesy of American Repertory Theatre.

This is always the really interesting time in a production, when it's coming right up to the point at which you present it to an audience. How are you feeling, how is everything going?

It seems to be going really well. Everyone seems to be in good spirits. I think we're feeling good about the clarity of the storytelling, which was one of our biggest concerns. Having done it once before, there are changes to this production that make things a little bit calmer, because you have a sense of the direction you're heading in even from the start, and a better sense of the qualities you think are most resonant, you know, possible in the production so it at least allows you to be pointed in the right direction, to see if it's possible to get anywhere near close to that kind of resonance.

We understand you were flipping through the channels one night, happened across the film version about half way through...

Yes, precisely that. Halfway through and I became immediately engrossed in the film. I was sort of mesmerized by this sort of odd, surreal adventure that was going on. At the same time, I had been looking for some kind of story to direct with the grad students at the Institute, and I asked the head of the Institute, Scott Zigler, what he thought of this idea: I'd be interested in adapting this movie for that production. He thought it was a good idea, I went ahead and did the adaptation, and we ended up putting it up.

The manner in which this movie really took off in terms of DVD sales, midnight viewings, things of that nature...was there any sense of trepidation, touching upon and working with a text that has this kind of fervor in its fanbase?

Fortunately, I was completely unaware that it was a cult film when I was working on it. I literally had no idea. I think it wasn't until the first version was up and running or just before it was up and running that I began to even hear how much people were interested in the film, and that another type of audience may be coming because of this cult following. So I didn't feel the pressure because I didn't know the pressure was there. I'm glad I didn't know.

It's always interesting when you're having conversations and "Donnie Darko" comes up. It's almost like a secret handshake. Someone might quote a line or make reference to Frank the Rabbit, and all of a sudden, three or four heads whip around and you know that they're into it, too.

It's interesting because we went walking to take some photos with Frank the Rabbit outside, and it was amazing to see how many people recognized this particular rabbit. One woman came up and wanted her picture taken with him and it was fascinating to see the recognition just on a two-block walk to take some pictures.

One of the things that's fascinating about this piece is the fact that it's so open to interpretation. In much of the information out there about the film, Jake Gyllenhaal is quoted as explaining that he always asks the people who approach him about the film's meaning, "What do you think it means?" because he doesn't know himself. What are some of the themes that you take away from "Donnie Darko?"

Um, that's it's normal to be lost and confused, that there's perhaps a larger order or larger design that connects us all, that perhaps we should not be so afraid of that which is unknown. I think that Frank initially is very frightening to Donnie, and the end, Frank turns out to be a benevolent figure in terms of guiding Donnie to his destination, to his purpose. It makes me think that we perhaps should not be so afraid of that which we don't know, that seems confusing at first. That love is very important, and that it's probably useful for us to look for a path that makes sense to us, in terms of how we fit into overall life.

How has the experience been, working with this cast?

It's been absolutely wonderful. There's a great feeling in the room of everyone taking care of each other. There's a vast range of ages in the cast, people coming from all different places, and it's interesting how everybody just that, takes good care of each other. There's a respect for the story and a respect for each other. Productions are always full of pressures and logistical difficulties, but it's really been, as these things go, a pretty calm and enjoyable ride. In no small part, it's because the cast has been so great to work with, the designers, production staff, a killer stage manager and stage management staff, it just makes everything so much easier.

In "Donnie Darko," there are special effects, technical elements that explain some of the storytelling: worm holes among them. Has there been discussion of how to translate that to a stage setting?

The first question was what of all these special effects was most important in terms of storytelling; then, of the ones that we thought were essential to tell the story, how do we do a stage rendering. I think we have found attempts at translating nearly all of the special effects and events except for the tendrils coming out of the stomach, which we're continuing to ponder and work on - I don't know if it's possible to convey that. I don't know if it's possible to convey that Grandma Death made the car veer in order to hit Gretchen. The wormhole would be the other one that's tricky. Those three are the big ones - I don't think we'll be able to explain Grandma Death veering the car. I think we'll try to make an attempt at explaining the tendrils, and we'll work hard at certainly explaining the concept and idea of the wormhole, and if we can actually visually help that explanation, that would be terrific.

In preparing for the rehearsal process, was there any advising to have the cast take a look at the film?

No. Some people had seen it, others had not. Some had seen it a long time ago and chose to rewatch it; some had seen it a long time ago and chose not to. What we're doing is a very faithful rendition of the film; it's a really great film and we're trying to bring that to the stage. We're not trying ot do some interpretation or take on the film, we're trying to honor this killer story, killer event.