Director discusses 'Uncommon Women and Others' at Downtown Library event

Influential woman playwright's piece to be performed in Ann Arbor

Originally printed 10/22/2009 (Issue 1743 - Between The Lines News)

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Wendy Wasserstein is one of the most influential, sharply comedic and successful woman playwrights of our time. On Nov. 2, meet John Neville-Andrews - the director of the upcoming University of Michigan production of one of her first works, "Uncommon Women And Others" - as he discusses this famous playwright and this powerful play. The discussion will take place at the Ann Arbor downtown library multi-purpose room from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Written in 1977 as her graduate thesis for The Yale School of Drama, "Uncommon Women and Others" would launch Wasserstein's career. Before her untimely death in 2006, Wasserstein continued to write wryly-observant plays about the lives of contemporary women in The Heidi Chronicles (1989 Tony Award, Pulitzer Prize for Drama), The Sisters Rosenzweig and An American Daughter.

"Uncommon Women and Others," which made its debut at the Phoenix Theatre Off Broadway and was later filmed for PBS, featured actresses who would become stars of their generation - Glenn Close, Swoozie Kurtz, Jill Eikenberry and Meryl Streep.

Full of wit, optimism, frank sexual expression (considered shocking for the time), "Uncommon Women and Others" tackles the excitement and anxiety of having overwhelming choices.

In the late '70s five college friends reunite to catch up. As they bring each other up to date, they revisit, in flashbacks, episodes from their senior year. Caught between traditionalist notions of womanhood and the novel feminist idea of unlimited opportunity, graduation forced each woman to make a choice that would determine their role in the world.

Now six years later, with humorous banter and sober apprehension, the friends wonder if they have met their youthful expectations to be "uncommon" and where their lives as friends and individuals will take them.

Neville-Andrews, professor of theater (acting and directing) and head of performance at the University of Michigan, has over 30 years of professional experience in acting, directing and producing with a wide range of institutions, theaters and programs.

As the former Artistic Producer of The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C., he garnered attention and critical acclaim for his productions of Shakespeare and the classics. He came to this country as co-author, actor and director of the enigmatic comedy "El Grande de Coca-Cola" (which won a Drama Desk Award for Best Musical in 1972) and "Bullshot Crummond."

Performances of "Uncommon Women and Others" are at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19, 8 p.m. Nov. 20-21 and 2 p.m. Nov. 22. For tickets, call The League Ticket Office at 734-764-2538. For more information on the Nov. 2 Library discussion of the production, contact the Library at 734-327-4555. The Downtown Library is located at 343 S. Fifth Ave. in Ann Arbor.

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