11 minute read
Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
VIRGINIA WOOLF:
SEARCHING FOR TRUTH AMID LIFE’S ILLUSIONS
BY JOANNE OSTROW
IImagine the audience’s shock in 1962 when Edward Albee’s fi rst full-length play had its Broadway debut: On the set of a bland living room, the crude baiting and vicious game-playing of a middle-aged married couple unfolds like a prizefi ght. The devastating language, brutal wit and merciless puncturing of illusions— it was all new onstage. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was a sharp break from the shallow entertainments of conventional
American theater. Edward Albee’s masterpiece remains powerful, shocking and oddly relevant today. In style, Who’s Afraid Virginia Woolf? has been likened by critics to the European theater of the absurd. The title is a singsong academic pun on “the big bad wolf,” as in,
Albee once explained, who’s afraid of living life without false illusions? The setting is the living room of a New England college associate professor, George, and his wife Martha, as they entertain a new faculty member and his wife, Nick and
Honey, through a boozy after-party of escalating verbal warfare. George calls his and Martha’s sparring “merely… exercising.” In the narrowest view, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is about marital dysfunction and the emotional destruction intimate partners can rain on one another. Moreover, it is a search for truth amid life’s illusions. In the sense that it is a period piece, it is also about a woman’s stifl ed potential and the role that women were expected to play at the time. “Certainly the play is a study of a dysfunctional marriage,” New York-based director Margot Bordelon said in an email interview. “It also seems to be a look at the devastating eff ects of infertility during a time period when (even more so than today) a woman’s worth was connected to getting married and having children. Martha is a brilliant woman who could have had a celebrated career of her own, but her dreams are funneled into her husband’s professional trajectory and they both suff er from the weight of that.”
Through it all, Albee is probing the relationship between fantasy and reality.
“Truth and illusion, George. You don’t know the di erence.” —Martha
Bordelon agrees Albee’s play is particularly relevant for our time. Consider that we live in an era marked by claims of “Fake News” and “alternate facts” or other eff orts to blur or deny what’s real. It isn’t such a stretch.
“I think that’s right!” Bordelon said. “We’re living in a time where access to information is more fl uid, (more democratic?), than it’s ever been in our country’s history, and yet fake news is spreading faster than ever. Rather than living through a time of great knowledge, it feels like we’re living through a time of amplifi ed ignorance.”
Bordelon recently read an essay about the play that called it “an optimistic tragedy.” “That really resonated with me,” she said. “George and Martha engage in sick games and verbal abuse to mask their heartache, but ultimately they strip away their illusions and confront the truth together. Can we in America do the same? Can we move past the vitriol and divisiveness? Can we engage in a legitimate truth and reconciliation movement in this country?”
Instead of “get the guests,” can America get the truth?
Bordelon suggests the play may be especially relevant, even necessary, in the age of Covid. “After 18 months of theaters being dark, this play is a terrifi c night of liveness,” she said. “It demands such emotional athleticism and endurance from the four performers. At its three-hour-plus running time, it requires endurance from the audience!”
Albee called his play a “grotesque comedy.” Bordelon aims to emphasize the comedic alongside the painful.
“We will absolutely lean into the comedy in this production,” she said. “One, just to keep it moving, and two, because it’s the only way to earn the darkness. All four of our actors are skilled comedians, and all four have deep emotional access. My hope is to mine and feature all of that.”
The cast brings an impressive depth of experience to the task: Jon Hudson Odom (“Lovecraft Country” on HBO) as George, Kelly McAndrew (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Broadway) as Martha, Isabella de Souza Moore (“The Path” on Hulu) as Honey, and Paul David Story (Equus, Broadway) as Nick.
“We go to the theater hoping to watch artists performing at the highest level of their craft,” Bordelon said. “I’m hoping our production off ers that to the Denver audience.”
An inevitable question: How does a modern theater director approach this classic without thinking of the famous movie? Do Liz Taylor and Richard Burton live in Bordelon’s subconscious?
“My confession: I haven’t seen the movie! Certainly these characters live in the zeitgeist but I purposefully didn’t watch the fi lm before auditions because I didn’t want to be infl uenced by Taylor and Burton’s famous interpretations. The actors who live in my mind are Tracy Letts and Amy Morton from the Steppenwolf production ten years ago. I lived in Chicago for six years and I saw them both in dozens of productions so when I was fi rst re-reading the play in preparation to direct it, it was their cadences, rhythms, and humor I heard in the text.”
The ethnic and racial diversity represented by cast members in the DCPA Theatre Company production is unlike the 1960s version, further obliterating any movie memories the audience may carry. We are invited to make way for new interpretations.
Whether appreciated as optimistic tragedy or grotesque comedy, the play remains radical six decades on.
— MARGOT BORDELON, DIRECTOR
EDWARD ALBEE’S WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? JAN 7 – MAR 6, 2022 • WOLF THEATRE
ASL, Audio described performance: Jan 30 at 1:30pm
HONORING OUR ELDERS
We invite our audiences to join the DCPA as we honor our Elders for the care of the land on which we perform with an offi cial land acknowledgement. These words are shared at company meetings, fi rst rehearsals, public forums and in the pages of Applause to recognize and respect Indigenous Peoples, their traditional territories and the care they have shown to all who reside here.
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts honors and acknowledges that it resides on the traditional and unceded territories of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary Indigenous Tribes and Nations who have historically called Colorado home. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future, and to all those who have stewarded the land and water for generations. May this acknowledgment express the DCPA’s commitment to grow and deepen its relationships with the vibrant Indigenous communities who continue to thrive and uphold their sacred relation to this land.
Learn more about land acknowledgements.
DCPA TEAM DCPA TEAM
DCPA
Janice Sinden ..........................President & CEO Gretchen Hollrah ..............................................COO Lydia Garcia .........................Executive Director, Equity & Organization Culture Donna Hendricks ..................President & CEO Executive Assistant Julie Schumaker ......................Manager, Board
Relations & COO Executive Assistant
BROADWAY & CABARET
John Ekeberg......................Executive Director
Administration
Ashley Brown .......................Business Manager Alicia Bruce .............................General Manager
Garner Galleria Theatre
Abel Becerra .........................Technical Director Herb Caldwell+, Anna Hookana+ ...........Core Stagehands
DEVELOPMENT
Jamie Clements ...........................Vice President Megan Fevurly..........................................Manager, Grants & Reports Amanda Gomez .......Manager, Annual Fund Kaylie Groff ..........................................Coordinator Marc Ravenhill ....................Associate Director, Donor Relations Whitney Staloch................Associate Director, Major Gifts Megan Stewart ........................Manager, Events Erin Walker ...................................Senior Director
EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Allison Watrous .................Executive Director Stuart Barr .............................Technical Director Claudia Carson .......................Teaching Artist & Manager, Playwriting & Bobby G Leslie Channell ..........................................Director, Business Operations Emily Doherty ....Teaching Artist & Manager, Theatre for Young Audiences Programming Rya Dyes ................................Assistant Registrar Patrick Elkins-Zeglarski ........................Director,
Education & Curriculum Management Linda Eller.....................................................Librarian Jesús Quintana Martínez .......................Director, Community Engagement Timothy McCracken................Head of Acting David Saphier ....Teaching Artist & Manager, In-School Programming Elizabeth Schmit ......................Offi ce Manager Melissa Sumner ........................................Registrar Charlotte Talbert ......................................Librarian Rachel Taylor ....Teaching Artist & Manager, Literary Engagement & Resiliency Justin Walvoord ....................Teaching Artist &
Manager, Shakespeare in the Parking Lot Samuel Wood .........................Teaching Artist & District Liaison
FACILITIES
Glen Lucero ..................................................Director Dwight Barela, Mark Dill, Clint Flinchpaugh ................................Engineers Jodi Benavides, David Bright, Colton Ebersole, John Howard, Benjamin Koenig ............Security Specialists Judy Briggs ...........................................Front Desk Quentin Crump ........................................Manager, Security & Guest Relations Merry Davis ..........................Financial Manager Jane Deegan ..................................Administrator Michael Kimbrough ....Manager, Engineering Brian McClain .....................Manager, Custodial Casey Meschievitz ...................................Manager, Environmental Health & Safety Ken Long, Carmen Molina, Judith Primero Molina, Juan Loya Molina, Jermaine Parker .................................Custodians
EVENT SERVICES
Savanna Campbell, Samantha Egle ........................Event Managers Colin Dieck, Anne Fitzgerald, Hunter Premschak, Seth Miller ..............................................Technicians Thomas Duffi n .........................................Manager, Event Technology Cody Gocio ..........................Event Coordinator Stori Heleen-O’Foley ....Lighting, Team Lead John Hess .............Manager, Sales & Business Shane Hotle .................................Audio Engineer Tara Miller ...........Manager, Event Operations Brook Nichols ......................Technical Director Will Stowe ....................Audio/Video Engineer Ian Wells ........................................Video Engineer
MARKETING, SALES & PATRON SERVICES
Lisa Mallory.....................................Vice President
Marketing
Heidi Bosk ...........Associate Director, Press & Promotions, Broadway & Cabaret Emmy Cook .......................................Coordinator, Broadway & Cabaret
Brenda Elliott, Paul Koob ..............Senior Graphic Designers TJ Forlenza ............................................Copywriter Claire Graves ...............................................Director, Produced Programs Brittany Gutierrez ...................................Manager, Communications Jeff Hovorka ....Director, Sales & Marketing, Broadway & Cabaret Emma Hunt ........................................Coordinator, Communications & PR Emily Kent ........Director, Insights & Strategy Lucas Kreitler .........Junior Graphic Designer Linda Lang .................................Project Manager David Lenk .......................................Videographer Michael Ryan Leuthner ........................Director, Digital Marketing Emily Lozow ..............................................Manager, Broadway & Cabaret Kyle Malone ................................Director, Design Katie Mount ..........Manager, Email Marketing Whitney Testa ..................Executive Assistant, Marketing & Broadway Janelle Vargas...........Manager, Web Content Austin Walker ..............Manager, Social Media Juliana Whelan.................................Coordinator, Produced Programs Suzanne Yoe .......................Director, Content & Communications
Ticketing Services
Jennifer Lopez ...........................................Director Christina Adamoli*, Jon Collins*, D.J. Dennis*, Edmund Gurule*, Elias Lopez*, Hayley Solano* .............Counter/Show Leads Kirsten Anderson*, Scott Lix*, Brad Steinmeyer*, Greg Swan* .....................Subscription Agents Patty Bizarro*, Lindsey Cervantes*, Eli Davis*, Jen Gray*, Natalie Jaramillo, Noah Jungferman*, Michael Mathey*, Makenzie Pedersen, Lane Randall, Liz Sieroslawski*, Sam Stump, Andrew Sullivan* ..........................Ticket Agents Adam Bush ...................Subscription Manager Billy Dutton ...........................Associate Director, Operations Roger Haak .................VIP Ticketing Manager Kassandra Lopez, Ella Mann..........................Box Offi ce Managers Kirk Petersen .......................Associate Director, Patron Relations
Group Sales
Jessica Bergin ...........................................Manager Maddie Young ...................................Coordinator
Theatre Services
Carol Krueger............................................Manager Nora Caley, Kaylyn Kriaski, Myrisa Martin ...........................House Managers Aaron McMullen, Dylan Phibbs, Leilani Lynch, Stacy Norwood, Valerie Schaefer...............Assistant Managers
ACCOUNTING & FINANCE
Jane Williams ......................................................CFO Sara Brandenburg ...................................Director, Accounting Services Michaele Davidson .....Treasury Accountant Jennifer Jeff rey ....................Director, Financial Planning & Analysis Valerie Lingbloom ...................General Ledger Accountant Jennifer Siemers ...........Director, Accounting
HUMAN RESOURCES
Elvira Morales ................................Vice President Brian Carter, Lizette Collazos ..........Directors Kaitlyn Faust ...................................Administrator Paul Johnson ...........................Payroll Specialist Monica Robles ...............Supervisor, Mailroom
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Lisa Roebuck .................................Vice President Vincent Bridgers .....................Senior Ticketing System Analyst Jacquelyne Glover ........Software Developer Simone Gordon ..................Program Manager Brian Kudalis .........Senior Network Engineer Brandon LeMarr .......................Senior Systems Administrator
Sarah Martinez, Allyssa Welker ..................Help Desk Analysts Jacob Parker ............................Manager, Data & Applications Joseph Reecher ........................Junior Systems Administrator
THEATRE COMPANY Administration
Charles Varin .......................Managing Director Ann Marshall ...........................General Manager Sabina Rivera ....................Company Manager
Artistic
Christopher Coleman ...........Artistic Director Melissa Cashion .....................Artistic Producer Charlie Miller .......Associate Artistic Director Lynde Rosario .........................Literary Manager Grady Soapes ....................Artistic Producer & Director of Casting
Production
Jeff Giff ord ...................................................Director Julie Brou ................Administrative Assistant/ Offi ce Manager Matthew Campbell ......Production Manager
Scenic Design
Lisa Orzolek .................................................Director Kevin Nelson, Nicholas Renaud ..................................Assistants
Lighting Design
Charles MacLeod ......................................Director Lily Bradford ..............................................Assistant Reid Tennis+.................Production Electrician
Sound Design
Alexander Billman ..............................Supervisor Wesley Halloran+, Meagan Holdeman+, Timothy Schoeberl ..........................Technicians
Stage Management
Michael Morales ..................................Production Stage Manager Corin Davidson, Heidi Echtenkamp, Anne Jude, Maggie Kayes, Rick Mireles, Kristen Mun, Malia Stoner, Kristen Sutter ...........................Stage Managers Andie Burns, Katy Gentry, Harper Hadley, Sage Hughes ....................Stage Management Apprentices
Scene Shop
Eric Moore ..............................Technical Director Albert “Stub” Allison, Robert L. Orzolek, Josh Prues ....Associate Technical Directors Tyler Clark, Amy Wynn Pastor, Kyle Scoggins .....................Scenic Technicians Louis Fernandez III ...Lead Scenic Technician Brian “Marco” Markiewicz ....Lead Carpenter
Prop Shop
Robin Lu Payne .........................................Director Jamie Curl, Tory Fink, Georgina Kayes, Ashley Lawler .......Artisans Meghan Markiewicz ..Associate Supervisor
Paint Shop
Jana Mitchell ....................Charge Scenic Artist Kristin Hamer MacFarlane, Melanie Rentschler .....................Scenic Artists
Costume Shop
Janet Macleod ...Director/Design Associate Meghan Anderson Doyle ....Design Associate Catherine Gagnon ..............................First Hand Carolyn Plemitscher ..................................Draper
Costume Crafts
Kevin Copenhaver....................................Director Chris Campbell.........................................Assistant
Wigs
Diana Ben-Kiki ......................................Supervisor
House Crew
Douglas Taylor+ ...................................Supervisor James Berman+, William Loving+, Stephen Mazzeno+, Kyle Moore+, Matt Wagner+, Riley Wood+ ...Stagehands Joseph Price+ ...........................................Assistant
Wardrobe
Anthony Mattivi^ ................................Supervisor Robin Appleton^, Andy Bruening, Amber Donner^, David La Beaux^, Lauren LaCasse, Lisa Parsons^ .......Dressers Jerome Horng, Marisa Sorce ................................Wig Assistants
* Member, I.A.T.S.E. Local B-7 + Member, I.A.T.S.E. Local 7 ^ Member, I.A.T.S.E. Local 719
Staff list current through Dec 20, 2021
