Weekly Read - A Bright New Boise by Samuel D. Hunter

Your weekly read this week is A Bright New Boise by Samuel D. Hunter.

Winner! 2011 Obie Award for PlaywritingNominated for the 2011 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

"While the play delves into big existential questions about religion and the search for meaning, Hunter's story is heartbreaking and humorous. The play takes place in employee break room of a Hobby Lobby, a fictionalized big-box crafts store in Boise, Idaho. The ensemble of employees is a comedic set of misfits, each struggling to find their way. The play's central character, Will, is a piously religious man who arrives at the Hobby Lobby after fleeing his small hometown where his "end of days" church was embroiled in a scandal. He reconciles the disappointing world around him with his belief in the coming rapture."
                                          -PBS ARTBEAT

"Nothing is pretty about A Bright New Boise, a play that marches in the footsteps of Sam Shepard’s acid comedies, set in the weird American West...Hunter has such highly sensitive antennae for the look and rhythm of mundane places that A Bright New Boise develops an authentic texture, separate from other pieces in its genre." 
                                                                                               - The Washington Post 

PHOTOS from previous productions

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Washington D.C.

The Wild Project Theatre
NYC

Playwright Samuel D. Hunter

Private Lives Revival on Broadway!

PRIVATE LIVES revival on Broadway!

I love and hate when I come across my favorite shows being put up on Broadway.  It tickles me to see pics of the production, and pains me to know I can't go see it.  One day New York, I know I will be engrossed in your theater world.  But for know I can only share with you my findings and keep us all in the loop of what creations come.  Which leads us to one of my all time favorites, Private Lives by Noel Coward.  I have been dreaming of the day I get to do this show with a competent director.  I did a scene from this, playing
Sybil, when I was at the Academy and loved the comedy of manners style and charm of 1930.  Coward's understanding of human emotions allows this tale to never tire.

This Broadway revival boast leading lady Kim Cattrall (fellow AADA alumni)  and Paul Gross as Amanda and her ex-husband, Elyot.  Both honeymooning in the South of France with new spouses, find themselves sharing adjoining hotel balconies, where they begin to rekindle old feelings.

Directed by Sir Richard Eyre, best known for directing amazing films like Notes on a Scandal, Stage Beauty and Iris which he also wrote, as well as numerous classics stage productions throughout London. This revival started it's run in London's Vaudeville Theatre in 2010 with Kim continuing the role in Toronto and now on Broadway.

Opening November 17 at the Music Box Theatre, with Simon Paisley Day as Victor and Anna Madeley as Sybil.

 

Gertrude Lawrence & Noel Coward in the original play 1930 as Elyot and Amanda

Mr. Coward himself

Playwright Pick

OK...Been gone a while.  But with good reason!  My first original play Keep Me was produced, this was also my directorial debut!  The experience was one of pure reward, to see what was in my head, created into breathing life.  Big thanks to my amazing cast, crew & producers!  I had the privilege of this production going up at the historic Theater Guild of Ancon in Panama for its 61st season.

Enough about me...I am not the highlighted playwright, Roger Kumble would be he.  Kumble graduated from Northwestern University in 1988, and began his career as a playwright and director in 1993 with the Hollywood satire Pay or Play, which garnered him the LA Weekly Theater Award for Best Comic Writing.  His second play, 1997's D'Girl, starring David Schwimmer, earned him four Dramalogue Awards.  In 2003, Kumble competed his Hollywood trilogy with the critically acclaimed Turnaround, again starring David Schwimmer, which sold out its entire run in Los Angeles.  Kumble made his feature-film-directorial debut with 1999's box office hit, Cruel Intentions.  This screenplay transposed the French classic to modern New York.  He followed with the comedies Sweetest Thing, and Just Friends,  two of my favorites.  The New York Post agrees, they made it into their top twenty underrated films of the decade!

His new creation stays with his Hollywood themed trilogy.  Girl's Talk is a play about a once Hollywood writer's struggles as a stay at home mom.  This play was produced in April at the Lee Strasberg Theater starring Brooke Shields.  CHECK OUT THE REVIEW HERE 

I love finding multi-faceted artist.  I found him as a playwright, and in the end discover he has had his creative hand in three movies I thoroughly enjoy.  This is a reminder to me as an artist how I am not limited to one craft, but that when we are artists, we create in all spectrum's.

A Must!

THAT SIDE OF THE SHADOW

 I have to take advantage of the fact that I am writing a blog, even if on theater, to promote hard work.  Some fellow American Academy of Dramatic Arts-Los Angeles alums have written, directed and starred in an incredibly captivating work in film.  I am so excited and inspired by the dedication and time that these creative folks have put into this project, and to see it getting rave reviews and be a finalist in the Big Break Movie Contest is something to be said.

Read the reviews from the Santa Barbra Film Festival
by Jim Burns
by Tim Lopez

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER & VOTE FOR THAT SIDE OF THE SHADOW.  IF THEY WIN, THEIR FILM WILL BE SHOWN IN AMC THEATERS!  SUPPORT THE ARTS AND UP AND COMING FILM MAKERS!!  DO YOUR PART!
http://www.thatsideofashadow.com
follow them on facebook!

Musical Highlight

Wonderland on Broadway

Discover Broadway's spectacular and exhilarating new musical... WONDERLAND.  An exciting new spin on the classic story of Alice and her Looking-Glass World, WONDERLAND is about a modern-day woman who goes on a life-changing adventure far below the streets of New York City, where a marvelous cast of familiar characters help her rediscover what's really important. Featuring a fresh, contemporary pop score from the creator of Jekyll & Hyde, WONDERLAND arrives on Broadway this spring following a sold-out, two-city national premiere.


Previews in New York begin March 21 and the show opens April 17 at the Marquis Theatre.

Books to Read

True and False Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor

One of our most brilliant and iconoclastic playwrights, screenwriters, and directors takes on the art and profession of acting, in a book that is as shocking as it is practical, as witty as it is instructive, and as irreverent as it is inspiring.  David Mamet -- the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Oleanna -- takes a jackhammer to the idols of contemporary acting, from acting schools to "sense memory", from "interpretation" to "The Method". He shows actors how to undertake auditions and rehearsals, how to deal with agents and directors, how to engage audiences, and how to stay faithful to the script. Bracing in its clarity, exhilarating in its common sense, True and False is invaluable.

Playwright Pick

Christopher Shinn

With numerous awards won over a course of 10 years, whose first play, Four  was produced at the Royal Court Theater at the tender age of 22, he is forced to be reckoned with.  The 34 year old play write from Connecticut ,  has a prolific writing style.  His play, Dying City, first produced in 2008, is about an Iraq War widow who is visited by her dead husband’s twin brother. It deals with war, betrayal, love, torture, child abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder. Ben Brantley of the New York Times described the play as an “unsettling study of domestic sadism and subterfuge” that “brought the war home.  


When on the Daily Show, John Stewart asked him what sparked his idea of the play, Shinn replied, "I try to structure my plays intuitively because, at the deepest level, any work of art represents the movements of the psyche in grappling with trauma. We do not plot out our sufferings in a logical manner in real life—we merely suffer.

The play was structured like a trauma, and the trauma was disguised in three characters. It looked at the profound questions about the links between sexuality, violence, deceit and the truth. I wanted the work to inflict a trauma on the audience—to be something they’d have to struggle with rather than passively experience."

His newest play, Picked, is about a young actor whose life undergoes radical change when he is chosen to star in a big-budget Hollywood action movie. Think of “Entourage,” but with an emphasis on psychology, not sex. Michael Wilson directs. (April 20, Vineyard Theater)

Playwright Pick

So, I came across this slide show from NY Times.  Photos of stage productions from the Late Great Tennessee Williams genius mind.  His plays were what pushed my love for the theater into the depths of my heart.  As a freshman in college I had no idea what I got myself into when cast as Charlotte in Night of the Iguana.  Changed my path, popped my bubble.  These photos remind me of all those not so well known plays of his, and how provocative he was.  Thanks NY TIMES!!!  Tennessee Williams slideshow CLICK HERE

Show Info

What to see in New York

Good People

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 West 47th St.
New York, NY 10036

Now in Previews                                             

Show Opens:
March 3, 2011
Show Closes:
April 24, 2011

Ticket Price: $57.00-$116.00

Tickets by Phone: 212-239-6200

http://www.mtc-nyc.org

Synopsis

Welcome to Southie, a Boston neighborhood where a night on the town means a few rounds of bingo... where this month's paycheck covers last month's bills... and where Margie Walsh has just been let go from yet another job. Facing eviction and scrambling to catch a break, Margie thinks an old fling who has made it out of Southie might be her ticket to a fresh new start. But is this apparently self-made man secure enough to face his humble beginnings? Margie is about to risk what little she has left to find out.With his signature humorous glow, Lindsay-Abaire explores the struggles, shifting loyalties and unshakable hopes that come with having next to nothing in America.

Fat Pig 

Belasco Theatre 111 West 44th Street New York, NY 10036 Previews Start: April 12, 2011 Show Opens: April 26, 2011 Open Run Ticket Price: $51.50 - $129.00 Tickets by Phone: 212-239-6200 800-432-7250 http://www.fatpigonbroadway.com Synopsis This razor-sharp comedy tells the story of Tom (Josh Hamilton), a  very eligible bachelor who falls for the beautiful, bright and plus-sized Helen (Heather Jane Rolff). Tom is overjoyed with his new relationship but his shallow co-workers are less enthusiastic. Tom shrugs off their objections but eventually the cruel jabs of his acerbic friend Carter (Dane Cook) and Jeannie (Julia Stiles), a former flame, force him to question his own values and the importance of conventional good looks. The bitingly funny Fat Pig is playwright Neil LaBute's candid and unapologetic depiction of our obsession with image and cookie cutter beauty.

Theater News

Spidey on Broadway

With a record 66 preview performances, the hype surrounding this expensive production has somewhat ruined it before it officially opens.  The show was suppose to open on the 7th, instead it has been pushed back to March, but that did not stop the critics.  They had nothing nice to say today and it has taken over the blogisphere.   It has been called by some to be the worst musical of all time proclaiming the music, by Bono and Edge from U2, forgettable. Acclaimed director Julie Taymor and the U2 crew are defending the project by saying changes are still in the works and any critic is invalid.

Here are the reviews, if you don't have time to read them all click here to watch quick video of highlights

New York Times: “The sheer ineptitude of this show, inspired by the Spider-Man comic books, loses its shock value early. After 15 or 20 minutes, the central question you keep asking yourself is likely to change from “How can $65 million look so cheap?” to “How long before I’m out of here?”

New York Post: “A snowballing budget, broken bones, a concussion, multiple delays, rewrites — and what do we get? An inconsistent, maddening show that’s equal parts exciting and atrocious.”

New York Daily News: “Except for the anthem ‘Rise Above,’ songs by Broadway rookies Bono and the Edge of U2 lack hooks to make them stand out. As if written in invisible ink, tunes are there and then slip from your mind.”

Newsday (subscription required): “When I saw the show in December, the story was scattered, the music shockingly mediocre. But Taymor’s stage pictures were amazing, and the flying was fun in a dumb, circus-y way. With the composers due back from their tour and safety issues more or less solved, it seemed likely that the show could be pulled together into an unusual, if not important, entertainment hybrid Taymor calls a ‘rock and roll circus drama.’ Yet, the show I saw Saturday night was the same bloated, muddled, often beautiful mess it was before all this supposed ‘work.’”

New York magazine: “It’s by turns hyperstimulated, vivid, lurid, overeducated, underbaked, terrifying, confusing, distracted, ridiculously slick, shockingly clumsy, unmistakably monomaniacal and clinically bipolar. But never, ever boring.”

Bloomberg: “After all this expenditure of talent and money, ‘Spider-Man’ is probably unfixable because too much has gone into making humans fly, which is not what they are good at. It imitates poorly what the ‘Spider-Man’ movies do brilliantly with computer graphics — and without putting live actors in jeopardy.”

Chicago Tribune: “The much-told woes of ‘Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark’ boil down to a problem that has similarly ensnared far humbler new musicals: an incoherent story. For without a book with consistent rules that a mainstream audience can follow and track, without characters in whom one can invest emotionally, without a sense of the empowering optimism that should come from time spent in the presence of a good, kind man who can walk up buildings and save our lousy world from evil, it is all just clatter and chatter.”

Hollywood Reporter: “There’s one thrillingly beautiful image about ten minutes in — during a song appropriately titled ‘Behold and Wonder’ — as aerialists suspended from saffron-colored sashes weave an undulating fabric wall that fills the stage. And the impressive speed and agility of the flying sequences is a major leap forward in action terms from the slow glide of ‘Mary Poppins.’ But mostly, Spider-Man is chaotic, dull and a little silly. And there’s nothing here half as catchy as the 1967 ABC cartoon theme tune.”

Los Angeles Times: “To revise a handy little political catch phrase, ‘It’s the storytelling, stupid.’ And on that front, the failure rests squarely on Taymor’s run-amok direction.”

Variety (subscription required): “The performers are somewhat smothered by effects. Jennifer Damiano, late of ‘Next to Normal,’ stands out as the embattled heroine; Matthew James Thomas, on as standby to leading man Reeve Carney, was perfectly likable. Otherwise, only Michael Mulheren manages to break through the material.”

Washington Post: “What’s apparent after 170 spirit-snuffing minutes in theFoxwoods Theater — interrupted by the occasional burst of aerial distraction — is that director Julie Taymor, of ‘The Lion King’ fame, left a few essential items off her lavish shopping list:

1. Coherent plot
2. Tolerable music
3. Workable sets

To be sure, Taymor has found a way to send her superhero soaring above the audience. And yet, the creature that most often spreads its wings in the Foxwoods is a turkey.”

Playwright Pick

Christopher Hampton

Christopher Hampton is a playwright, screenwriter, director and producer. Born in 1946 in Portugal, he spent his childhood in Aden, Egypt and Zanzibar, then studied French and German at Oxford University. He was the youngest writer ever to have a play staged in the West End, and in the late 1960s, was resident dramatist at the Royal Court Theatre.

His own stage plays include When Did You Last See My Mother (1966), performed at The Royal Court Theatre,  Total Eclipse (1968) about the relationship between Rimbaud and Verlaine; the comedy The Philanthropist (1970); Savages(1974) and Treats (1976).

His screenwriting credits include translations of classics such as Ibsen’s A Doll’s House(1970); Tales from the Vienna Woods (1977) and Moliere’s Tartuffe (1984), and his television work includes The History Man for the BBC, The Ginger Tree (1989) and Tales from Hollywood (1989).

In 1985 he wrote the play Les Liaisons Dangereuses, adapted and translated from the novel by Choderlos de Laclos, and later adapted this as a screenplay. The resulting film,Dangerous Liaisons,  was an international success and won many awards.  He also wrote and directed Carrington, about the relationship of Lytton Strachey with the painter, Dora Carrington.

Other work includes translations of Yasmina Reza’s work for the stage, and further versions of Chekhov and Odon von Horvath.  He wrote the stage adaptation and co-wrote the lyrics for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, and the recent screenplay for the BAFTA nominated film, Atonement.

Theater News

Too many Theaters?  Who says?

Well, Rocco Landesman, the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts thinks so.  The Producer who brought "Angels in America" and "The Producers" to Broadway, has the theater blogosphere ranting with his comments about supply and demand of theaters.  Speaking at a conference about new play development at Arena Stage in Washington, he said: "You can either increase demand or decrease supply.  Demand is not going to increase, so it is time to think about decreasing supply."  He then defends his comments in a telephone interview with Robin Pogrebin.  "There is a disconnect that has to be taken seriously - our research shows that attendance has been decreasing while the number of the organizations have been proliferating," he said.  "That's a discussion nobody wants to have."

Surprising words coming from the head of the organization with such an extensive background in theater.

Here are some opinions:

“How sad that Darwinian capitalism has become the lens through which the NEA now appraises the value of theater in America.” — Mark, New York

“Rocco needs to think through things a bit more before making controversial statements that don’t stand up to the facts. Can too many high school youth see excellent productions of ‘Romeo and Juliet’? How many high school youth in the United States are too many? Nope, Rocco got this one wrong. There is ever-increasing demand; he’s just looking in the wrong pockets.” — BD, Los Angeles

“His comments will feed the forces looking to cut government spending, and they aren’t just looking at various art disciplines — they want to cut out the NEA and NEH altogether.” — dcb in nyc, New York

Others thought Mr. Landesman's comments were rooted in reality:

“There are certain areas of the country that couldn’t care less about having a professional theater in their midst, yet the instigators of these well-meaning institutions bravely stand their ground, tighten their belts, and try every trick in the book, even resorting to occasionally booking commercial tripe, in an effort to survive. If a community doesn’t support their own theater, there’s your answer, they don’t want it. Close it; try elsewhere.” — Will MacAdam, Manhattan

“He’s right. Too many theaters exist simply for the sake of existence. It’s not about doing theater; it’s about getting funding. . . . Never mind whether anyone actually wants to see it or whether it’s any good. The important thing is just to stay in business.” — Mick Smith, New York

Personally, I think it is ridiculous.  I have to agree with BD from Los Angeles when they said "there is an ever-increasing demand, he's just looking in the wrong pockets".  In today's economy not everyone can run and see a show for 60-80$'s.  So some of the smaller, experimental theaters are bringing in crowds for 10-20$'s.  I personal love seeing artsy shows in small intimate spaces.  It gives freedoms to the ones creating, and isn't that what its about?  With art cuts in the schools, where else can young people see and create art?  Boo on you Mr. Landesman.

Theater News

Theater in your bathtub?

I've got to tell you, this is cool.  Work nights and, wish you could make it to a show?  Now you don't have to miss out.  Theater organization, Fuel, launched Everyday Moments a series of 12 free podcasts available once a month to be listened to at a specific time and place.  The first podcast features Kazuko Hohki's The Hole, which is designed to be listened to while lying in the bath in the evening; later in the year you will be able to invite Adrian Howells into your bed, do the housework with John Hegley or stand on a bridge at midnight to listen to a piece by Inua Ellams.

Everyday Moments is an imaginative way for artists to reach an audience without having to rent a space and wait for people to show up.  With all the technology within our reach, this is a powerful way to reach those hungry for  the arts without many opportunities to satisfy.  I find it fascinating that this technology has only been used as a marketing tool and not as a new way to create art until now.


Unfortunately I don't have a bathtub, I know, sad right!  But I will be checking this out, you should too, tell me what you think?  Innovative, or not?


Click here to download the podcast

Theater News

Costumer Theoni V. Aldredge Dies at 78

Her brilliant works have been adored from stage to screen.  Academy Award winner for her design in "The Great Gatsby", and three time Tony Award winner for "Annie", "Barnum" and "La Cage aux Folles".  Over the course of her career she created the wardrobes for more than 300 film and stage productions, including the original productions of "Dreamgirls" "42nd Street," and "A Chorus Line," as well as the Arthur Laurents–directed 1989 revival of "Gypsy,"

For a full story, click for Backstage article

Playwright Pick

Rick Robinson

A graduate of the U.C. Davis drama department, Rick's plays were twice selected to be a part of the Undergraduate Playwright's Festival, an annual showcase of the school's three top plays and he twice represented Davis at the U.C. intercollegiate arts festival.

Now, after a successful scholastic run, Rick Robinson is an award-winning Los Angeles area playwright and director.  The six plays he has penned deal with the social down-sides and benefits of the Internet, the common absurdity of office politics, and the dehumanizing effect of big business.  His dramas are raw and his tragedies balance with comedy, all differing in tone, with a united theme: the human struggle to find lasting emotional connections.

Rick's plays have been selected to be a part of the Los Angeles Edge of the World Festival five times and his plays have received four Backstage West critic's picks (/Asymmetry/, /i r l (in real life/), /School of Jesus Fish/, /SAP/), two L.A. weekly 'go' picks (/Asymmetry/, /Spare Parts & Cynic/) and one L.A. times recommended pick (/Asymmetry/).

L.A. SHOW INFO

Accomplice

Currently running!
Open Run
Opened on May 2, 2009
Tickets by Phone: 1-800-979-3370
http://www.AccompliceTheShow.com

Synopsis

Part game and part theater, Neil Patrick Harris presents Accomplice: Hollywood, an experience unlike any found on a stage, taking its audience on an actual journey through the city streets. It all begins with a phone call disclosing a secret meeting location. Armed with a few initial bits of information, participants are sent on a mission, aided by clues and mysterious cast members strewn throughout various locations such as streetcorners, bars, iconic landmarks and out of the way spots. Audiences in groups of 10 traverse the city streets, piecing together clues of a meticulously crafted plot and relying on their own street smarts to make it to the end.

The Accomplice sites, naturally, are kept secret - it's all part of the fun. "Not enough information," you say? Trust us--the fun is in the surprises.

Who's in on it? Who's not? A unique new form of entertainment, Accomplice: Hollywood will make you laugh, think, and experience the city in a whole new way.

Amy and Elliot 

Stella Adler Theatre

6773 Hollywood Blvd.

Hollywood, CA 90028

Currently running!

Closes on January 30, 2011

Opened on January 6, 2011

Ticket Price: $20.00; $10.00 Preview 

Tickets by Phone: 323-960-7863

Synopsis

Back in the 1990's, Elliot's best friend Amy is marrying a guy named Michael. Elliot's freaking out. Which in turn makes Amy freak out. Which in turn makes Michael freak out...Ok, so everybody's freaking out. Amy and Elliot is a quick-witted, quirky romantic comedy about growing up as a Generation X'er. Are Amy and Elliot just best friends or something more? Could they really have feelings for each other, or is it just another distraction--an excuse to avoid growing up? Amy and Elliot attempts to tackle the big questions of a very confused generation.

Caught 

Zephyr Theatre

7458 Melrose Ave.

Hollywood, CA 90046

Currently running!

Closes on January 23, 2011

Opened on November 27, 2010

Ticket Price: $25.00; $20.00 Preview 

Tickets by Phone: 800-595-4849

http://www.CaughtThePlay.com

 Synopsis

Over the past several years, the debate over same-sex marriage has split the country, deeply divided religious communities, and galvanized American politics.Caught is a contemporary play which examines this contentious debate through the life of one American family. The story centers around the upcoming wedding of Kenneth and Troy, a committed gay couple living in Los Angeles. Kenneth's estranged, culturally-conservative sister, Darlene, and her daughter Krystal unexpectedly visit the couple's home from south Georgia only days before the event. Through this set of circumstances, Caught explores the meaning of 'marriage,' and how the family can find a way to meet in the middle while navigating long-standing religious values and staying true to each's core beliefs.

N.Y.C. SHOW INFO

Blood From a Stone 

Acorn Theater 410 West 42nd St. New York, NY 10036 Currently running! Closes on February 19, 2011 Opened on January 12, 2011 Ticket Price: $61.25  Tickets by Phone: 212-239-6200 800-432-7250 http://www.thenewgroup.org

Synopsis

An electric and darkly comic portrayal of a troubled working-class family in New Britain, CT. Travis visits his parents home to check on his brother Matt and his mother, only to find himself sucked into intractable conflicts, and a whole household on the verge of implosion. Blood From A Stone is a stunning and shattering debut by Tommy Nohilly. Starring Ethan Hawke, Nasasha Lyonne, and Daphne Rubin-Vega.

Three Sisters

Classic Stage Company 136 East 13th Street New York, NY 10003 Now in Previews Show Opens: February 3, 2011 Show Closes: March 6, 2011 Ticket Price: $75.00 Weekday; $80.00 Weekend  Tickets by Phone: 212-352-3101 866-811-4111 http://www.classicstage.org/2011_sisters.shtml

Synopsis

CSC reunites much of the cast and creative team from their acclaimed 2009 production of Uncle Vanya, this time in Three Sisters, Anton Chekhov's masterpiece of thwarted dreams. The exemplary cast includes Maggie Gyllenhaal (Masha), Josh Hamilton (Andre) 2010 Tony Award nominee Jessica Hecht (Olga) and acclaimed actor Peter Sarsgaard (Vershinin) among others. Austin Pendleton again directs.

The Misanthrope

New York City Center - Stage II 131 West 55th Street New York, NY 10036 Now in Previews Show Opens: January 23, 2011 Show Closes: February 20, 2011 Ticket Price: Full Price $55.00 Preview Discount: $35.00 Weekday discount: $45.00  Tickets by Phone: 212-581-1212 http://www.pearltheatre.org/1011/misanthrope.php

Synopsis

What's worse than being the only (self-proclaimed) honest man in a world of liars, gossips, and fools? Being head-over-heels in love with the chief offender among them. The Misanthrope follows the hilariously thorny love-life of the irascible Alceste and the coquettish Célimène, who put the concept of "opposites attract" to the ultimate test. Richard Wilbur's masterful translation of Molière's wryly personal comedy begs the question--can love really be this blind?