|
2003-2004 Season
FALL 2003
In the Solitude of Cotton Fields
By Bernard-Marie Koltés
Translated by Jeffrey Wainwright
Directed by Dexter Bullard
What would happen if you were traveling in a somewhat hurried,
somewhat oblivious disposition, over a straight line, strictly
Point A to Point B, and as you were making your way, you came
face to face with another person, a dealer, who stands between
you and your destination? A dealer that you cannot avoid or
side step but must confront? A dealer who drives the hardest
of bargains? You not even knowing what you could possibly
want or what is being offered, also not wanting to offend
but not wanting to answer questions too personal to share
with strangers. What happens in an empty society where no
one knows what is really being bought and sold?
In the Solitude of Cotton Fields distills to its psychological,
poetical, and spiritual essence the nature of the most rapidly
multiplying and perhaps most intimate relationship in present
times, that of DEALER and CLIENT.
About the Playwright: Bernard-Marie Koltés was born
in 1948 in the East of France, and died in 1989. Championed
as one of his generations' most provocative and progressive
playwrights, he was seen as carrying the torch in the tradition
of Beckett and Genet (although he most often compared himself
to Chekhov, claiming all his plays were comedies as well).
Taken under the wing of one of France´s most acclaimed
directors, Patrice Chéreau, who nurtured his talent
by producing and directing his work at Nanterrés Théatre
des Amandiers, his career and life came to a tragic end when
he succumbed to AIDS at the age of 41. His final and most
well known work, Roberto Zucco, was produced only after his
death, but it cemented his reputation as a writer of urgency
and purpose.
About the Director: Dexter
Bullard´s reputation precedes him as one of Chicago´s
most innovative theatrical artists. This will be Dexter´s
4th collaboration with A Red Orchid, including his productions
of Tis Pity She´s a Whore, Place of Angels, and Bug.
Dexter is on the faculty of DePaul University´s Theatre
School and is also the artistic director of Plasticene Physical
Theatre Company. He has also taught at Columbia College and
the Second City Training Center, and ran the Next Lab for
several years, which during his tenure produced Bouncers,
Fun & Nobody, Here is Monster, and Killer Joe, among many
other distinguished works.
About the cast: While small
in number, we could not be happier to have the duo of Lawrence
Grimm and Paul Dillon on our boards. Larry is an ensemble
member at A.R.O.T., and was most recently seen in our production
of the über-dark comedy Mr. Kolpert. Larry directed our
premiere of the searing Scottish coal-mining drama The Cut
and appeared in our long-running productions Born Guilty and
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. Mr. Dillon is returning to
the Windy city from Los Angeles, but has worked with both
Dexter and A.R.O.T previously in Tis Pity She's A Whore. He
was part of the ensemble of Famous Door's landmark production
of Conquest of the South Pole, and originated the role of
Cabbie in their long-running sensation, Hellcab (which he
produced and starred-in for the screen). His performance as
the title character in the world premiere of Killer Joe at
the Next Lab still has people giving him a wide berth.
|
