We set up the storyline that Woody and Coach were pen pals. They didn’t exchange letters—they exchanged actual pens. Nicky and Woody were great in different ways. Woody played the innocent perfectly. Woody not only replaced Coach, he infused the show with a much-needed youthful energy, which is necessary for any cast that has worked together for a while. As a director, you have to make sure the cast is having fun rehearsing and, just as important, when they’re not rehearsing. Woody had an immediate rapport with the rest of the cast. We were thankful.
