Theatre Studies Production of Wings Runs Through April 11
The Department of Theatre Studies will present Arthur Kopit’s Wings on April 3, 4, and 9-11 at 8 p.m., with a matinee at 1 p.m. on April 8, in Sternberger Auditorium, located in Founders Hall. The production is directed by department chair and Professor of Theatre Studies Jack Zerbe.
Kopit’s drama follows an elderly woman’s journey through recovery following a massive stroke, telling the story from her confused and disoriented point of view. The playwright was inspired to write the piece after his father experienced a debilitating stroke and suffered the loss of speech. The play title refers to the main character’s work in the 1920s as a barnstormer who entertained crowds by walking out on the wings of bi-planes. In a highly theatrical fashion, Wings suggests that the older woman is no less daring or courageous than her younger daredevil self. The heroine suffers a second stroke in the end, but the play is a moving testament to the resilience and durability of the human spirit when faced with difficulty. The New York Times called it “an intensely moving vision.”
Wings received a Tony Award Nomination for Best Play and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1977, the year of its New York debut. Director Zerbe says, “The original production was a revelation to me as a young man. I hope that our version will also move audiences and inspire us to more fully appreciate the lives and courage of the elderly in our community.”
Tickets are $1 for members of the college community and $5 for all others. For information and reservations, please call 316-2414.
March 16, 2009