[NEohioPAL]One More Rave for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at Actors' Summit

Fri Apr 12 15:36:35 PDT 2002

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Don't be afraid of this 'Virginia Woolf'
Actors' Summit brings quality production 
of American classic to stage
By David Ritchey 
HUDSON -- Actors' Summit Theater is staging "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" 
through April 21. When the play first opened in New York in 1962, the 
American theater changed forever. A young, fresh playwright brought an 
electrifying drama to the stage. And despite the accomplished actors who have 
played the roles of this dramatic quartet, the star has always been the 
playwright, Edward Albee. The Pulitzer Prize Committee, in a memorable act of 
cowardice, did not award Albee its prize for "Who's Afraid of Virginia 
Woolf?" No award was given in drama that year. 

During the last years of the 20th century, Albee lost his audience. At the 
February meeting of the American Theatre Critics Association in New York 
City, Albee said to the group, "I'm in again. My favor with audiences and 
critics seems to go in decade-long cycles. Now, I'm popular again." 

He's right. The winner of three Pulitzer Prizes in drama is back on top. On 
Broadway, his "The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?" is playing. Off-Broadway, Anne 
Bancroft has the leading role in Albee's "Occupant." And in Hudson, Actors' 
Summit is presenting an exciting production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia 
Woolf?" 

The plot involves a late-night party at the home of George and Martha. George 
is a member of the history faculty at a small New England college. Martha, 
his wife, is the daughter of the college president. They've invited to their 
home Nick, a new faculty member, and Honey, his wife. 

In most productions, Martha dominates the evening's ribald games. But Neil 
Thackaberry (director) moved the emphasis from Martha and made George her 
equal. The production works much better when the two leading roles have 
equally strong spirits. 

Paula Duesing (Martha) seems to make any play come to life with her ability 
to act and live in the moment. She was remarkable as a dying cancer patient, 
Vivian Bearing, in "Wit." In this production, Duesing makes Albee's words cut 
as deep and as painfully as possible. Once again, she makes the stage shimmer 
with her honesty and her exquisite acting ability. 

Tom Fulton (George) doesn't make the history professor a weak husband 
dominated by a shrill wife. Too often George's weakness becomes a structural 
problem. Fulton makes George strong and capable of being equal in any fight 
Martha might start. 

Peter Voinovich (Nick) looks and struts like a new faculty member whose Ph.D. 
diploma still has wet ink on it. He may be new to the faculty, but this Nick 
knows what he has to do to climb the academic ladder to the administration 
building. Voinovich makes Nick a university athlete who plans to use his 
athletic prowess and his combative personality to become a campus presence. 
Scratch this faculty member, and you'll find a streetwise, tough guy. 

Susanna Hobrath (Honey) instigates some of the plot's actions. Unfortunately, 
Hobrath is at the mercy of a playwright who has almost left her out of the 
script. Hobrath lets Honey whine and complain so much that the character 
lacks any charm. The audience is left wondering why Nick married her, even 
with her substantial bank account. 

The stage setting forces the audience into the party. The action is so close 
to the audience that I was tempted to ask George for a drink as he was 
serving them to everyone on stage. 

This is a first-rate production of the best play written by one of this 
country's best playwrights. 

Albee has the courage to write for adults. He knows adults and he brings them 
to the stage in their raw, unpolished vulnerability. That elusive "adult 
ability" is what makes him so appealing as a playwright. 

For reservations and information, call (330) 342-0800. 

David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in communications and is an associate professor of 
communications at The University of Akron. He is a member of the American 
Theatre Critics Association. 

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<HTML>Don't be afraid of this 'Virginia Woolf'
 Actors' Summit brings quality production 
 of American classic to stage
 By David Ritchey 
 HUDSON -- Actors' Summit Theater is staging "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" through April 21. When the play first opened in New York in 1962, the American theater changed forever. A young, fresh playwright brought an electrifying drama to the stage. And despite the accomplished actors who have played the roles of this dramatic quartet, the star has always been the playwright, Edward Albee. The Pulitzer Prize Committee, in a memorable act of cowardice, did not award Albee its prize for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" No award was given in drama that year. 
 
 During the last years of the 20th century, Albee lost his audience. At the February meeting of the American Theatre Critics Association in New York City, Albee said to the group, "I'm in again. My favor with audiences and critics seems to go in decade-long cycles. Now, I'm popular again." 
 
 He's right. The winner of three Pulitzer Prizes in drama is back on top. On Broadway, his "The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?" is playing. Off-Broadway, Anne Bancroft has the leading role in Albee's "Occupant." And in Hudson, Actors' Summit is presenting an exciting production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" 
 
 The plot involves a late-night party at the home of George and Martha. George is a member of the history faculty at a small New England college. Martha, his wife, is the daughter of the college president. They've invited to their home Nick, a new faculty member, and Honey, his wife. 
 
 In most productions, Martha dominates the evening's ribald games. But Neil Thackaberry (director) moved the emphasis from Martha and made George her equal. The production works much better when the two leading roles have equally strong spirits. 
 
 Paula Duesing (Martha) seems to make any play come to life with her ability to act and live in the moment. She was remarkable as a dying cancer patient, Vivian Bearing, in "Wit." In this production, Duesing makes Albee's words cut as deep and as painfully as possible. Once again, she makes the stage shimmer with her honesty and her exquisite acting ability. 
 
 Tom Fulton (George) doesn't make the history professor a weak husband dominated by a shrill wife. Too often George's weakness becomes a structural problem. Fulton makes George strong and capable of being equal in any fight Martha might start. 
 
 Peter Voinovich (Nick) looks and struts like a new faculty member whose Ph.D. diploma still has wet ink on it. He may be new to the faculty, but this Nick knows what he has to do to climb the academic ladder to the administration building. Voinovich makes Nick a university athlete who plans to use his athletic prowess and his combative personality to become a campus presence. Scratch this faculty member, and you'll find a streetwise, tough guy. 
 
 Susanna Hobrath (Honey) instigates some of the plot's actions. Unfortunately, Hobrath is at the mercy of a playwright who has almost left her out of the script. Hobrath lets Honey whine and complain so much that the character lacks any charm. The audience is left wondering why Nick married her, even with her substantial bank account. 
 
 The stage setting forces the audience into the party. The action is so close to the audience that I was tempted to ask George for a drink as he was serving them to everyone on stage. 
 
 This is a first-rate production of the best play written by one of this country's best playwrights. 
 
 Albee has the courage to write for adults. He knows adults and he brings them to the stage in their raw, unpolished vulnerability. That elusive "adult ability" is what makes him so appealing as a playwright. 
 
 For reservations and information, call (330) 342-0800. 
 
 David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in communications and is an associate professor of communications at The University of Akron. He is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association. 
 
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