Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" garnered him a Pulitzer Prize, and it also made him one of the most celebrated writers of contemporary American theater. The play opened on Broadway on Oct. 13, 1962, and will open at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey on Thursday, Oct. 14, and run through Oct. 30.
"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is a play about two couples, Martha and George and Honey and Nick. The couples spend an evening together at the home of George and Martha after a party where alcohol and inquisitive minds set the stage for deep and profound human drama.
The title of the play alludes to novelist Virginia Woolf and is a parody of the song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" from the Walt Disney animated story "The Three Little Pigs."
The Company of Fools production at the Liberty Theatre will star Jana Arnold, Scott Creighton, Paul L. Coffey and Beth Hilles under the direction of K.O. Ogilvie.
"It's brilliant writing," Creighton said. "I'm learning why it's considered one of the great American plays."
This is second Albee play that Ogilvie has directed within a year. She directed "The Goat or Who is Sylvia?" at the nexStage Theatre in Ketchum in June. She said "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" has iconic status not only because it is a Pulitzer Prize-winning play but also because it's a timeless work of art.
"We are learning more with every layer we peel off," Arnold said. "But it's not a wrist slasher."
The play has very serious moments, and is also very funny.
"One of things I really love about the play is that it shows how ugly has many forms," Hilles said.
Hilles and Coffey are two newcomers to the Company of Fools. Both have MFAs in acting from the Brown/Trinity Rep graduate program. Coffey was also a Stephen Sondheim Fellow.
"It is a tragic environment," Arnold said. "The audience will walk away with a different feeling than when they entered."
The play tests the limits of each actor, all of whom Ogilvie said are outstanding.
"It's a night at the theater, and it's an amazing cast," Creighton said. "Rules are broken."
Tickets are $28 for adults, $20 for seniors (62 and over) and $10 for students (18 and under). These ticket prices do not include the Pay What You Feel preview, 10 for $10, Girlfriends' Night Out! and Educator Nights. There is also a special group rate. Groups of six or more receive a $20 ticket. The show will start at 7 p.m. on Thursday and 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. A matinee on Sunday, Oct. 24, will start at 3 p.m. "Pay What You Feel" preview will take place on Thursday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m.
Company of Fools' box office is located at the Liberty Theatre at 110 N. Main St. in Hailey, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For details, call 578-9122 or visit www.companyoffools.org.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
Courtesy photo
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey stars, from left, Paul L. Coffey as Nick, Beth Hilles as Honey, Scott Creighton as George and Jana Arnold as Martha.
