Download enrichment guide - Citadel Theatre

ENRICHMENT GUIDE
BY EDWARD ALBEE
DIRECTED BY JAMES MacDONALD
Play Guides sponsored by
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THEATRE ETIQUETTE
3
CAST, ARTISTIC TEAM AND CHARACTERS
4
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
5
SYNOPSIS
6-7
CHARACTERS
8
ABOUT THE PLAY
9-10
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
11-13
INSPIRATIONS
14
THEMES
15-16
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
17-18
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
19
FURTHER READING/REFERENCES
20
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT
21-22
2
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
THEATRE ETIQUETTE
Going to the theatre is an engaging and interactive experience. We want you to be an active participant when you
see our shows; laugh when it’s funny, cry when it’s sad, gasp when it’s shocking, and enjoy the experience as much
as possible. But we want you to do this in the most respectful way possible, for both the performers and your fellow audience members.
To ensure the most positive experience, please review the following information prior to arriving at the theatre.
The following items are not allowed in the theatre:
•Food and drink (except that sold during intermission and/or permitted by the Citadel Theatre, such as bottled water and ice cream)
•Cameras and other recording devices (please note that taking photographs or other recordings in the theatre is
strictly prohibited by law)
Basic courtesy:
•Turn OFF and put away all electronic devices such as cell phones, iPods, video game systems, etc. prior to entering the theatre
•Do not place your feet on the seat in front of you.
•The actors onstage can see and hear the audience during the performance – it is important that audience members
not talk, move around, or fidget during the performance, as this can be distracting for the actors, as well as fellow
audience members.
•There is no dress code at the Citadel Theatre, but we respectfully request that patrons refrain from wearing hats
in the theatre.
•For the safety of those with allergies, please refrain from using perfumes or scented products before coming to
the theatre.
•Please do not place backpacks or other bags in the aisle in front of your feet, as this may impair the ability of persons to exit the row in an emergency.
Inappropriate behavior:
Citadel Theatre representatives watch carefully during performances for inappropriate behavior, especially behavior that could endanger an actor or audience member. Inappropriate behavior includes, but is not limited to:
•Talking in the audience
•The use of laser pointers or other light or sound-emitting devices
•Interfering with an actor or the performance (tripping, throwing items on or near the stage, etc.)
Audience members identified as engaging in this type of behavior will be removed from the theatre during the performance or at intermission.
3
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
CAST AND ARTISTIC TEAM
CAST
MARTHA
BRENDA ROBINS
GEORGE
TOM ROONEY
NICK
JASON CLIFT
HONEY
AVA JANE MARKUS
CREATIVE TEAM
JAMES MACDONALD
Director
DAVE HORAK
Assistant Director
LESLIE FRANKISH
Set and Costume Designer
NARDA MCCARROLL
Lighting Designer
MICHELLE CHAN
Stage Manager
SANG-SANG LEE
Apprentice Stage Manager
Season Sponsor:
Presentation Sponsors:
Media Sponsors:
4
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
JAMES MacDONALD, Director
For the Citadel, James has directed 15
productions over the past ten years, and
performed in many others, including five
years as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. As a
dramaturge, director, and actor, James has
been involved in the development of over 40
new Canadian plays, including directing the
world premieres of Miss Shakespeare
(Musical TheatreWorks); Vimy (Citadel –
Sterling Award); With a Twist (Lunchbox
Theatre); and The Myth of Summer (Alberta
Theatre Projects). Other directing credits
include Julius Caesar (Stratford Festival);
The Old Ladies (Shaw Festival); and Fire
(Canadian Stage – Dora Award). James is the
founding Artistic Director of Edmonton’s
Freewill Shakespeare Festival, a position he
held for six years. He is the Program
Director for the Citadel/Banff Centre
Professional Theatre Program.
5
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
SYNOPSIS
Act One – "Fun and Games"
George and Martha engage in dangerous emotional games. George is an Associate Professor of
History and Martha is the daughter of the President of the college. After they return home,
Martha reveals she has invited a young married couple (Nick, a Biology professor, and his wife,
Honey) over for a drink. As the four drink, Martha and George engage in scathing verbal abuse
in front of Nick and Honey. The younger couple is first embarrassed and later enmeshed. Martha
taunts George aggressively, and he retaliates with his usual passive aggression Nick and Honey
become increasingly unsettled and, at the end of the act, Honey runs to the bathroom, because
she had had too much to drink.
Act Two – "Walpurgisnacht"
Traditionally, "Walpurgisnacht" is the name of an annual witches' meeting (satiric in the context
of the play). Nick and George are sitting outside. As they talk about their wives, Nick says that
his wife had a "hysterical pregnancy." George tells Nick about a time that he went to a gin-mill
with some boarding school classmates, one of whom had accidentally killed his mother by
shooting her. This friend was laughed at for ordering "bergin." The following summer, the friend
accidentally killed his father while driving, was committed to an asylum, and never spoke
again. George and Nick discuss the possibility of having children and eventually argue and insult
each other. After they rejoin the women in the house, Martha and Nick dance suggestively.
Martha also reveals the truth about George's creative writing escapades: he had tried to publish
a novel about a boy who accidentally killed both of his parents, but Martha's father would not
let it be published. George responds by attacking Martha, but Nick separates them.
George suggests a new game called "Get the Guests." George insults and mocks Honey with an
extemporaneous tale of "the Mousie" who "tooted brandy immodestly and spent half her time in
the upchuck." Honey realizes that the story is about her and her "hysterical pregnancy." The
implication is that she trapped Nick into marrying her because of a false pregnancy. She feels
sick and runs to the bathroom again.
Martha starts to act seductively towards Nick in George's presence. George pretends to react
calmly, reading a book. As Martha and Nick walk upstairs, George throws his book against the
door. Honey returns, wondering who rang the doorbell (Martha and Nick had knocked into some
bells). George comes up with a plan to tell Martha that their son has died, and the act ends
with George eagerly preparing to tell her.
6
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
SYNOPSIS cont.
Act Three – "The Exorcism"
Martha appears alone in the living room, shouting at the others to come out from hiding. Nick
joins her. The doorbell rings: it is George, with a bunch of snapdragons in his hand, calling out,
"Flores para los muertos" (flowers for the dead), a reference to the play and movie A Streetcar
Named Desire, also about a marriage and outside influences. Martha and George argue about
whether the moon is up or down: George insists it is up, while Martha says she saw no moon
from the bedroom. This leads to a discussion in which Martha and George insult Nick in
tandem, an argument revealing that Nick was too drunk to have sex with Martha upstairs.
George asks Nick to bring Honey back for the final game – "Bringing Up Baby." George and
Martha have a son, about whom George has repeatedly told Martha to keep quiet. George talks
about Martha's overbearing attitude toward their son. He then prompts her for her "recitation,"
in which they describe, in a bizarre duet, their son's upbringing. Martha describes their son's
beauty and talents and then accuses George of ruining his life. As this segment progresses,
George recites sections of the Libera me (part of the Requiem Mass, the Latin mass for the
dead).
At the end of the play, George informs Martha that a messenger from Western Union arrived at
the door earlier with a telegram saying their son was "killed late in the afternoon...on a
country road, with his learner's permit in his pocket" and that he "swerved, to avoid a
porcupine." The description matches that of the boy in the gin-mill story told earlier. Martha
screams, "You can't do that!" and collapses.
It becomes clear to the guests that George and Martha's son is a fiction. George has decided to
"kill" him because Martha broke their rule of never speaking of him to others. Nick and Honey
leave, realizing that the cause of their hosts' shameless antics was their inability to conceive.
The play ends with George singing, "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?" to Martha, whereupon she
replies, "I am, George...I am."
7
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
CHARACTERS
MARTHA – A large, boisterous woman, 52, looking somewhat younger. Ample, but not
fleshy. She is the daughter of the president of New Carthage University. She is married
to George, though disappointed with his aborted academic career. She attempts to have
an affair with Nick.
GEORGE – 46, Thin, hair going grey. George is married to Martha, in a once loving
relationship now defined by sarcasm and frequent acrimony.
HONEY – 26, a petite blond girl, rather plain. She has a weak stomach, and is not the
brightest bulb of the bunch.
NICK – 30, her husband. Blond, well put-together, good looking. Nick has just become
a new member of the biology faculty at New Carthage University.
2012 Broadway Revival of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”.
8
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
ABOUT THE PLAY
BROADWAY PRODUCTIONS
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? opened on Broadway October 13, 1962. It was
directed by Alan Schneider and had Uta Hagen as Martha, Arthur Hill as George,
Melinda Dillon as Honey, and George Grizzard as Nick. Because of the unusually
long length of the play (over 3 hours), a second cast was hired to do matinee
performances of the show. The show ran until May 16, 1964, closing after 664
performances. The original mounting of the show costing $42,000. Who’s Afraid
of Virginia Woolf? won three 1963 Tony Awards including Best Play, Best Actor
and Actress. The play was selected as the winner of the 1963 Pulitzer Prize for
Drama, but was later revoked. The advisory board for the award overruled the
drama jury because of the play’s then controversial subject matter, resulting in
no Pulitzer Prize for Drama being awarded that year.
More recent productions on Broadway include a 2005 revival of the show, which
won the Tony Award for best Actor that year. The play was revived again in
2012, opening exactly fifty years after the original production. This mounting of
the show starred Tracy Letts as George, the Pulitzer Prize wining playwright for
his own show August Osage County. Tracy Letts won the Tony Award for Best
Actor in 2013 for his portrayal of George.
Melinda Dillon and Arthur Hill in the
Original Broadway Production
FILM ADAPTATION
An film version of the play was released in 1966 with the
screenplay adaptation done by Ernest Lehman. The film
was directed by Mike Nichols and starred Elizabeth Taylor
as Martha, Richard Burton as George, George Segal as
Nick, and Sandy Dennis as Honey. The Film was nominated
for thirteen Academy Awards, taking home five, including,
Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actress, Best
Cinematography (Black and White), Best Art Design (Black
and White), and Best Costume Design (Black and White).
Because of the controversial nature of some of the
dialogue, some lines were altered for the film. Warner
Brothers executives insisted on changing Martha’s line,
“screw you” to “goddamn you”, however the phrases like
“hump the hostess” remained in the film. In the audio
release of film on an LP, profanity was put back into the
dialogue, and the UK release of the movie also includes
unaltered dialogue.
George Segal, Richard Burton, and Elizabeth Taylor in the 1966
film
9
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
THE PLAY Continued
ACT NAMES
Act I of any drama introduces the characters, themes, subjects, and ideas that will be prominent
both in the first act and throughout the drama. The title of Act I, "Fun and Games," suggests part of
the theme of the entire drama — George and Martha's complex game of avoiding reality and creating
illusions. Therefore, the title of the first act introduces the use of games as a controlling idea for not
only the first act, but also for the entire drama with the last game, "Killing the Kid," being the game
that also ends the drama.
The titles of the second and third
acts make a rather direct
comment on the action of each
act. The title of Act II,
"Walpurgisnacht," refers to the
night of April 30 which is the time
of the annual gathering of the
witches and other spirits at the
top of Brocken in the Harz
Mountains located in Southern
Central Germany. It is sometimes
referred to as the Witches'
Sabbath. During this night,
witches and other demons dance,
sing, drink, and become involved A Walpurgisnacht celebration in Sweden, 1920
in all sorts of orgies. This is a night
where any type of behavior can be found among the participants, and in literature, or in general
language, the term "Walpurgis Night" has come to refer to any situation which possesses a
nightmarish quality or which becomes wild and orgiastic. Thus, in Act II, as Honey proceeds to get
extremely drunk, the others, especially Martha and Nick, dance in an obvious sensual, semi-orgiastic
manner. The scene ends in a bizarre manner — a fifty-two-year-old woman takes a twenty-eight-year
-old man upstairs for a seduction while her husband quietly reads a book with full knowledge of what
is happening upstairs.
In Act III, "The Exorcism," we see the meaning of the term "exorcism" being applied to Martha.
During the course of the act George eerily recites the Kyrie Elieson and uses incantations,
adjurations, and other necessary devices in order to free Martha of the illusion that their "child"
exists and to bring her back to a world free of fantasy.
10
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
THE PLAYWRIGHT
EDWARD ALBEE
Born Edward Harvey on March 12, 1928 somewhere in
Virginia, he was adopted just over two weeks later, at
which point his last name changed to his family name,
Albee. Edward's adoptive father, Reed A. Albee,
owned several theatres, which is where Edward first
got his taste for theatre. After attending private and
military schools while growing up, Edward studied at
Trinity College in Hartford Connecticut in 1946. Albee
was expelled after a year for skipping class and
refusing to attend chapel. In his late teens Edward left
his parent’s home due to his uncomfortable
relationship with his adoptive parents and their
disapproval of his aspirations to become a writer.
Albee started playwriting in the 1950s, with some of
his shorter plays of the time, like The Sandbox (1958),
and The Zoo Story (1959) getting him attention.
During his career, Albee wrote over thirty plays and
received an overwhelming amount of critical acclaim.
Albee’s Broadway debut was with his play Who’s Afraid
of Virginia Woolf? in 1962. Even though this play was selected as a winner for the Pulitzer Prize
for Drama, it was never awarded due to protests from the awards advisory council over the play’s
controversial subject matter. Since 1962, three of Albee’s plays have won the Pulitzer Prize
including, A Delicate Balance in 1967, Seascape in 1975, and Three Tall Women in 1994. Albee
has been awarded two Tony Awards, both for Best Play, in 1963 for Who’s Afraid of Virginia
Woolf? and in 2002 for The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? In addition, Edward also received a special
Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2005. Albee has won three Drama Desk Awards, was
given the Nation Medal of the Arts in 1996, Academy of Achievement’s Golden Plate Award in
2005, the Edward MacDowell Medal for Lifetime Achievement in 2011, the Pioneer Award for
Lifetime Achievement from the Lambda Literary Foundation in 2011, and the American Award for
Literature in 2015. In 1985 Albee was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame, and in
2009 was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the Bulgarian National Academy of Theater
and Film Arts
11
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
PLAYWRIGHT Continued...
OTHER PLAYS BY EDWARD ALBEE
THE ZOO STORY
The Zoo Story was Albee’s first play, a one act that was written in three weeks in 1958. The show
premiered in 1959 in West Berlin as part of a double bill with Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett.
The Zoo Story is about two men who meet on a park bench in Central Park - Peter, a middle-class
family man, and Jerry, who is socially isolated and longs for human connection.
A DELICATE BALANCE
A Delicate Balance, is Edward Albee’s first
Pulitzer Prize-winning play. The play premiered
in 1966, but had a revival on Broadway in 2014
starring Glenn Close. Agnes is an upper-class
woman in her late 50s who contemplates losing
her mind. Agnes shares a home with her
husband Tobias, but her sister Claire lives in
their house as well. Agnes and Tobias’ daughter
Julie is going through her fourth divorce and is
anticipated to return home. Near the end of the
first act, Agnes and Tobias’ best friends Harry
and Edna, frightened by something unknown,
show upasking to stay. Julie, is irritated by
Harry and Edna who are staying in her room.
Edna advises Julia to grow up, which Julie
A Delicate Balance (1997-98) by Edward Albee, directed by
responds to by reminding Edna that she is a guest Neil Munro at the Citadel Theatre. Fiona Reid (Claire), Jan Alexin the house. Agnes discusses the death of her son andra Smith (Julie) and Hazel Desbarats (Edna)
and expresses concerns over Tobias is being
unfaithful. Julia continues to get annoyed, and pulls a gun on Harry and Edna, saying that they do
not belong in the house. Edna insists that her and her husband are welcome in the house and that
they can stay there forever if need be. The next morning Agnes confronts Tobias telling him that it is
his duty to deal with the Harry and Agnes. Claire, Julia, Tobias and Agnes discuss the Harry and Edna
Situation further, who later join the conversation themselves. Harry tells Tobias that if the situation
was reversed, he and Edna would not want Tobias and Agnes staying at their house. Tobias agrees
that he does not like having Harry and Edna in the house, but he assures Harry that he and Edna can
stay. Edna and Harry pack up their car and leave.
12
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
PLAYWRIGHT Continued...
OTHER PLAYS BY EDWARD ALBEE
SEASCAPE
Seascape opened on Broadway January 26, 1976 and was directed by Albee himself. Seascape won the
Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1977, Albee’s second. Like many of Albee's plays, Seascape focuses on
communication in interpersonal relationships. Nancy and Charlie, an American couple on the verge of
the major life change of retirement, are having problems in their relationship. They are discussing
these matters on the beach when another couple appears, two human-sized lizards named Leslie and
Sarah who speak and act like people. The lizards have evolved to such a degree that they no longer
feel at home in the sea and are compelled to seek life on the land. What the lizards experience with
Nancy and Charlie nearly drives them back to the sea, but with an offer of help from the human
couple, they decide to stay. This relatively happy ending is not common in many of Albee's previous
plays, and some critics find it refreshing. The nod to absurdism is not only found in having half the cast
being human/lizards but also in a few staging elements. For example, several times throughout the
play a jet flies above, and each time Nancy and Charlie repeat the same dialog for two or three lines.
THREE TALL WOMEN
Three Tall Women opened in 1991 in Austria, and was the third play
that Edward Albee won a Pulitzer Prize for, winning the 1994 award for
drama. The play has four characters, three of which are actually the
same woman at ages 26 (C), 52 (B), and 90 (A). The other character is
their son, who doesn’t speak, but is a large topic of conversation. The
first half of the play takes place in A’s bedroom and consists of A
telling stories of her life. C challenges A with nonsensical or
inconsistent parts of her story telling but is discouraged by B who used
to A’s behavior. Act one ends with A having a stroke in the middle of
one of her stories. In Act 2 the audience becomes aware of that the
characters are all the same woman, just at different points in her life.
The son of the women comes to sit beside A’s bed and does not see or
interact with A, B, or C. B and C are not happy to see their son
because of a rift between them. The son is from the woman’s marriage
after the age that C is currently. The son leaves and the other
characters discuss what the happiest moment in their life is. A has the
last word saying that the moment it’s over, is the happiest moment in
their life.
Three Tall Women (1995-96) by
Edward Albee, directed by Diana Le
Blanc at the Citadel Theatre.
From top: Martha Henry (A), Fiona
Reid (B), and Jennifer Wigmore (C).
13
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
INSPIRATIONS
TITLE
The play's title alludes to the English novelist Virginia Woolf, a
feminist writer who explores her own characters’ emotional and
physiological motives. Woolf had bipolar disorder, which is the
same disease that the main characters George and Martha are
speculated to have.
The title is also a reference to the song "Who's Afraid of the Big
Bad Wolf?" from Walt Disney's animated version of The Three
Little Pigs. Because the rights to the Disney song are expensive,
most stage versions, and the film, have Martha sing to the tune
of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush", a melody that fits
the meter fairly well and is in the public domain. In the first
few moments of the play, it is revealed that someone sang the
song earlier in the evening at a party, although who first sang it
(Martha or some other anonymous party guest) remains unclear.
Martha repeatedly needles George over whether he found it
funny.
Albee described the inspiration for the title thus:
I was in there having a beer one night, and I saw "Who's Afraid
Illustration of Virginia Woolf by Bett Norris
of Virginia Woolf?" scrawled in soap, I suppose, on this mirror.
When I started to write the play it cropped up in my mind again. And of course, who's afraid of
Virginia Woolf means who's afraid of the big bad wolf . . . who's afraid of living life without false
illusions. And it did strike me as being a rather typical, university intellectual joke.
CHARACTERS
In an interview, Albee acknowledged that he based the characters of Martha and George on his good
friends, New York socialites Willard Maas and Marie Menken. Maas was a professor of literature
at Wagner College (one similarity between the character George and Willard) and his wife Marie was
an experimental filmmaker and painter. Maas and Menken were known for their infamous salons,
where drinking would "commence at 4pm on Friday and end in the wee hours of night on
Monday" (according to Gerard Malanga, a Warhol associate and friend to Maas). The primary conflict
between George and Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? derived from Maas and Menken's
tempestuous and volatile relationship.
Martha and George share the names of President George Washington and his wife Martha Washington,
America's First Couple.
14
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
THEMES
MENTAL ILLNESS AND MARITAL DISFUNCTION
The play is incredibly fast paced and full of tongue twisters, very Albee-esque, but examines the
breakdown of a marriage of a couple that are also each other's glue. Both Martha and George exhibit
signs of bipolar disorder but in an even more rapid succession. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic
depression, is characterized by episodes of mania and episodes of depression, either or can precede
the other. Perhaps due to the self-medication of excessive consumption of alcohol and cigarettes,
Martha and George are able to showcase a condensed version of their manic depressive states to their
guests. A possible cause for their fractured mental states is the play's big reveal: the son they speak so
adoringly, and so mysteriously about, does not exist. "A protracted and painful struggle with infertility
seems to be part of the answer."
Post-partum depression affects nearly 9-16% of women, and what is forgotten is that it can also affect
up to 10% of men, both prenatal and/or post-partum. But what happens to the couples who experience that depression when the child isn't even present? Some couples make the decision, and possible
mistake, of having a child to save a marriage. George and Martha don't have that option, yet lie about
a child as a game to keep some type of nuance in their union. The possibility that both George and
Martha may have bipolar disorder, or some type of mental disorder, is harrowing on both. It is vital for
them to have "open communication" and to "adjust to the tendencies of each other", unfortunately,
George and Martha butt the issues of their marriage with bouts of jealousy, rash insults, and twisted
games to test the boundaries of each other's human emotional capacity. They demonstrate the characteristic of bipolar disorder or social disorder in their inability to recognize others' discomfort. Or
perhaps they aren't mad at all and fully aware of their intentions. That would then make them emotional and mental sadists.
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the 1966 film.
15
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
THEMES Cont.
PRIVATE AND PUBLIC IMAGES IN MARRIAGE
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was a
sensation in its own time because of the
powerful themes that it touched on. By
writing a play, with its inherent tension
between actors and audience, rather than a
novel or a short story, Edward Albee uses his
genre to illustrate one of these themes. He
brings up the idea of private and public
images in marriage. Inherent in this idea of
public and private faces is the theme of
phoniness. Many couples, Albee seems to say,
project false images of themselves in public
situations. In fact, that phoniness is generally
preferred to exposing all of one's problems
and indiscretions to the world.
Elizabeth Taylor And Richard Burton as Martha and George in the
1966 film.
Yet, Albee also shows that people not only
make up images of themselves for their
friends and neighbors, they create illusions
for their husbands and wives as well. Both of the couples in this play make up fantasies about
their lives together in a somewhat unconscious attempt to ease the pains that they have had to
face along the way. Over the course of the play, both kinds of masks are torn off, exposing
Martha, George, Nick, and Honey to themselves and to each other. Perhaps, though, this exposure
frees them as well.
Sandy Dennis and George Segal as Honey and Nick in the 1966 film.
16
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Designing the Set
The Maquette
The maquette is an indispensible tool for set designers in the theater, a suitcase-sized, extensively detailed
stage model used to communicate a scaled vision of a production to directors, producers and actors.
Maquettes are models of exquisite craftsmanship, evoking a sense of dollhouse awe in the viewer.
Many designers now really work their ideas out in 3-D instead of sketching them out on paper. They'll make
paper models, culminating finally in what we call the presentation model. The designer will be brought in at the
beginning of rehearsals and present his or her vision for the play.
Actors talk about how important a model is for them to visualize the space because they won't be able to see
the sets for a while. And, of course, it's very helpful to a director, because not everybody, even the greatest
director, has the faculty to go from a two-dimensional sketch to three dimensions.
Maquette of Set for the Citadel’s production of
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Designed by Leslie Frankish
17
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS Cont.
PROSCENIUM STAGE
A proscenium theatre is a specific style of theatre. Several features define a proscenium theatre, and this particular
theatre layout is extremely common; if you have ever been to see a live performance, especially in a high school auditorium, chances are high that you have seen a proscenium theatre. In addition to proscenium style theatres, it is also possible to find black box theatres, theatres with thrust stages, theatres in the round, and numerous other configurations
of stage and audience.
The classically defining feature of a proscenium theatre is the proscenium arch which frames the stage for the audience. In addition, the audience faces the stage directly, with no audience on the sides of the stage, and the stage in a
proscenium theatre is typically raised, allowing the audience to see more clearly. Modern proscenium theatres sometimes lack the proscenium arch, but they are still called “proscenium theatres” because they retain the other characteristics of this style of theatre.
Proscenium theatres originated in the 1600s, and became immensely popular by the 1700s. There are certain advantages
of a proscenium theatre, such as the fact that the stage doesn't have to be as open, allowing people to conceal props,
sets, and orchestras in the wings or near the stage without having these things visible to the audience. A proscenium
theatre also creates a sense of staged grandeur, with the proscenium arch acting almost like a picture frame, giving the
audience the sense that they are looking into a scene.
18
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Explain the significance of the title, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

What is the significance of sexuality in the play?

Why do Martha and George decide to tear each other apart in front of Honey and Nick?

How does religion, pagan and Christian, function in the play?

Why do you think George tells the story about his childhood friend who accidentally killed both of
his parents? What implications could it have thematically?

What is the significance of everyone drinking so much?

Why is it important that George is a history professor, whereas Nick is a biologist? How do these two
disciplines relate to their characters?

Why would Edward Albee set this play at a cocktail party (rather than at a family dinner or on a
vacation or at an amusement park, etc.)?

A great deal of what goes into a play is visual rather than simply literary. How would you set up the
stage if you were directing this play? What costumes would you use for the characters? What actors
would you cast in the parts?

What significance does Honey's weakness and vomiting have? Why would Albee create her to be so
often sick?

Albee gives each Act of the play titles—Act One (Fun & Games); Act Two (Walpurgisnacht); Act Three
(The Exorcism). What is the significance of each of these titles? Do you think they are appropriate
given what occurs in each of the Acts?

Setting has a significant role in storytelling. What does the set add to the play? If the setting
changed, how would it affect the story and would it be as/more/less effective?
19
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
Wikipedia 1966 film http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who%27s_Afraid_of_Virginia_Woolf%3F_%28film%29
1966 Film http://www.filmsite.org/whos.html
1967 Oscars http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1967
Play Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who%27s_Afraid_of_Virginia_Woolf%3F
Broadway.com http://www.broadway.com/shows/whos-afraid-virginia-woolf/
Three way comparison http://www.broadway.com/buzz/164592/make-me-a-drink-a-50-year-boozing-brawling-retrospective-of
-edward-albees-whos-afraid-of-virginia-woolf/
Internet Broadway Database http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=2919
Edward Albee Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Albee
Edward Albee Biography http://www.biography.com/people/edward-albee-9178576#synopsis
The Zoo Story Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zoo_Story
The Zoo Summary http://www.gradesaver.com/the-zoo-story/study-guide/summary
A delicate Balance Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Delicate_Balance_%28play%29
A Delicate Balance 2014 revival http://www.adelicatebalancebroadway.com/about
Seascape Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seascape_%28play%29
Three Tall Women Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Tall_Women
Cliff notes http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/whos-afraid-of-virginia-woolf/critical-essay/the-significance-orimplications-of-the-titles-of-the-acts
Sparknotes http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/afraidofwoolf/characters.html
Virginia Woolf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Woolf
20
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT
Curriculum Connections:
Participation as an audience member at the Citadel Theatre aligns with the Alberta Education Curriculum. We’ve outline
below some (but not limited to) objectives which are developed through the viewing of live theatre:
Drama (Elementary)
Third Goal
To foster an appreciation for drama as an art form
Objectives
The child should:
1. develop an awareness of an respect for potential excellence in self and others
2. Develop a capacity to analyze, evaluate and synthesize ideas and experiences
3. Develop an awareness and appreciation of the variety of dramatic forms of expression.
Specific Learner Expectations:
Intellectual—develop and exercise imagination; develop concentration
Emotional—explore emotion; control emotion; express emotion
Social—understand others; discipline self; develop appreciation of the work of self and others; cope with emotional responses
Integrative—learn to respond to stimuli; e.g., music, pictures, objects, literature; test and reflect on the consequences of
dramatic decisions
Drama (Junior High)
GOAL I
To acquire knowledge of self and others through participation in and reflection on dramatic experience.
Objectives
The student will:
• strengthen powers of concentration
• extend the ability to think imaginatively and creatively
• extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions
• extend the ability to explore meaning through abstract concepts

develop the ability to offer and accept constructive criticism
GOAL III
To develop an appreciation for drama and theatre as a process and art form.
Objectives
The student will:

develop awareness of various conventions of theatre

develop awareness of drama and theatre by viewing as great a variety of theatrical presentations as possible

develop the ability to analyze and assess the process and the art

develop recognition of and respect for excellence in drama and theatre
21
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT
Drama 10-20-30
GOAL I
To acquire knowledge of self and others through participation in and reflection on dramatic experience.
Objectives
The Student will:

extend the ability to concentrate

extend understanding of, acceptance of and empathy for others

demonstrate respect for others — their rights, ideas, abilities and differences (S)

demonstrate the ability to offer, accept, and reflect upon, constructive criticism.
GOAL II
To develop competency in communication skills through participation in and exploration of various dramatic disciplines.
Objectives
The Student will:

demonstrate understanding of integration of disciplines to enrich a theatrical presentation.
GOAL III
To develop an appreciation of drama and theatre as a process and art form.
Objectives
The student will:
• explore various conventions and traditions of theatre
• broaden knowledge of theatre by viewing as great a variety of theatrical presentations as possible (
• demonstrate the ability to assess critically the process and the art
• demonstrate recognition of and respect for excellence in drama and theatre
• develop an awareness of aesthetics in visual and performing arts.
22