Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
October 6-14, 2000
Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was first performed in New York in October of 1962 at the Billy Rose Theatre. Directed by Alan Schneider, it took away both the New York Drama Critics Circle Award and the Tony Award for Best Play for the 1962-1963 season. The cast featured Uta Hagen and Arthur Dill as the stormy couple, with Melinda Dillon and George Grizzard in the supporting roles. The success of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? secured Albee's position as one of the major playwrights of post-World War II American theatre.
The play's content was considered quite shocking for the times. The story follows one evening in the troublesome relationship of George and Martha, a history professor at a small New England college and his blousy, brash wife, who have just returned home-quite intoxicated-from a rollicking Saturday night party. Martha has invited another, younger couple home for a nightcap-much to George's dismay. As they bring this other couple into their strange and terrible world, truths become uncertain and lies are the only thing left to rely on in a unique juxtaposition of humor and tragedy that has made this play one of the enduring cornerstones of twentieth-century American drama. Of his script, Albee once commented that: “The people who think Virginia Woolf was a love story are a lot closer to the truth than those who think it was a tragedy. At least there was communication in that marriage.”
Somewhere in Between
March 2 - 10, 2001
Craig Pospisil wrote Somewhere in Between in 1995. The story revolves around Jasper (played by special guest performer Patrick Downey), a young man who is afraid he is growing old before he has lived long enough. We meet him – or rather hear him – in the introduction, a monologue that begins in the dark because Jasper finds the dark soothing. And so begins this light, quirky romantic comedy.
An Evening with Lanford Wilson
May 11 - May 19, 2001
In An Evening with Lanford Wilson, a special collective performance, Ovation Theatre Company is proud to present a variety of works by American playwright Lanford Wilson in a production that is sure to delight and surprise.
Moonshot Tape (1990), brought to life under the direction of Mike Morehead, is a one-woman show that explores human emotions with humor and poignancy. A famous writer returns to her Ozark hometown and discovers her own life journey when she is interviewed by a student for her old high school's newspaper. Wilson's voice is inspirational and full of pathos and irony in this one-act play. Deborah Ludwig stars.
Another one-act in the series, Abstinence (1986), directed by Ovation new-comer Mary Lenning, tells the story of a couple hosting a party for Liars Annonymous. When a recovering alcoholic shows up, chaos ensues. In a hilarious sequence of events, we discover sexual secrets that would surprise even the most adventurous crowd. Abstinence features Blake Bowden, Kate Brauer, Joe Stollenwerk, and special guest performers.
The third play of the evening, A Betrothal, is the story of two green thumbs that get together. Director Taren Frazier calls this ‘an almost love story,’ with Mike Ward and guest performer Mindy Sibert taking the spotlight.
Mary Lenning directs the fourth show of the evening, The Madness of Lady Bright, featuring guest performer Ken Early in the title role.
You're Gonna Love Tomorrow
July 13 - July 21, 2001
This marks Ovation Theatre Company's first ever foray into the world of musical theatre, and where better to start than with a comprehensive revue of the works of the most well-noted American composer of the latter half of the twentieth century?