On Wednesday, February 24, Footlights continues our "outsiders" series with what the New York Post called "a savage parable": "Andorra" (1961), by Swiss playwright Max Frisch. "Andorra" achieves "chilling pity and terror" (New York Times) in its tale of a young man's persecution because of a prejudiced community's mistake about his ethnic origin. Within two years after its premiere, this "supremely important play" (Encounter), already had more than 50 productions in Germany alone.
Our meeting will feature Frederick Lubich, professor of German & chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at Old Dominion University. Professor Lubich is currently working on the book "Max Frisch: Literary Criticism in Perspective." We will meet at Luna Books, 1633 P St., NW (3d floor), 3 blocks E of Dupont Circle. Dinner begins at 6:30 & our discussion at 7:30. Reserve a space by calling Susan Kimmel (301-229-3037 (h) & 202-418-1679 (w)) or e-mailing [email protected].
"Andorra" appears in the Frisch collection "Three Plays" (Methuen
1993), but the book is out of print. Two NW DC bookstores may have copies:
Backstage Books, 2101 P St. (202-775-1488),
Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. (202-364-1919).
On the web, Green Apple Books (www.greenapplebooks.com) claims to have copies.
For a photocopy, send a $7 check, payable to Footlights, to Betty Byrne, 1822 Ingleside
Terrace, NW, Washington DC 20010 (202-483-4048).
Our regrets to everyone we had to turn away from our jam-packed discussion last month of Bertolt Brecht's "Galileo." We have also sold out the Washington Shakespeare Company's Sunday, February 21 matinee performance of "Life of Galileo." For tickets to other performances, call the box office at 703-418-4808.
We invite those attending the February 21 performance to join us for dinner afterwards at Cajun Bangkok, 907 King St., Alexandria. For dinner reservations, directions to the theater or the restaurant, or other help with transportation-or if you can offer someone a lift-contact Robin Larkin at [email protected].
Our "outsiders" series continues on Wednesday, March 24, with "Translations" (1980), by Irish playwright Brian Friel. A "sweet and subtle play, which deals tenderly with the rape of a culture" (Newsweek), "Translations" portrays British efforts early in the 19th century to Anglicize place names in Ireland. Our meeting will feature Friel scholar and Georgetown University professor George O'Brien, and Mark Rhea, who directed a recent celebrated DC-area production of "Translations."
We have cancelled our plans to discuss and attend "The Beauty Queen of Leenane." In May we will discuss another play by the same author. Watch these e-letters for further details.
Last December we discussed Alfred Uhry's "The Last Night of Ballyhoo" (1997). In earlier seasons we discussed plays by Edward Albee & Wendy Wasserstein. You can meet all three when the Corcoran Gallery of Art hosts a series of public interviews by Shakespeare Theatre artistic director Michael Kahn. The series begins February 17 with Eric Bogosian ("Talk Radio" (1987)) & continues with Wasserstein on March 10, Albee on March 12, & Uhry on March 17. All interviews start at 7:30 p.m. at the Corcoran, 500 17th St., NW. For more information call 202-639-1770.
On Saturday, February 27, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thomas Jefferson High School, 6560 Braddock Rd., Alexandria, will host the Northern Virginia Theatre Festival. Students from regional high schools will compete in acting, improv, playwriting, & set, costume, & makeup design. Festival organizers have invited Footlights members to serve as judges for 2-hour sections of the competition. For further information, call Rip Claassen at 703-780-3673 or e-mail [email protected].
Footlights relies largely on generous contributions from subscribers like you. To help keep Footlights on, send your check to John Glynn, 3741 Yorktown Village Pass, Annandale, VA 22003. Any amount appreciated.
Sunday, February 21: "Life of Galileo," Washington Shakespeare Company Wednesday, February 24: "Andorra," Luna Books *Wednesday, March 24: "Translations," Luna Books *Monday, April 19: "How I Learned to Drive," Stanford in Washington Thursday, May 13: "How I Learned to Drive," Arena Stage *Tuesday, May 18: "The Cripple of Inishmaan," Delray Vietnamese Garden Wednesday, June 16: "Angels in America (Part I)," Luna Books Sunday, July 11: "Angels in America (Part I)," Signature Theatre *Changes from previous calendars