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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2009 > March > 19
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Review: Remaining truthful to ‘The Grapes of Wrath’
When Nobel Prize-winning novelist John Steinbeck penned “The Grapes of Wrath” in the 1930s, the world was gripped in an historic economic, political and social crisis that would end only after fundamental changes that came about thanks to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal and its programs — programs that are still instrumental safety nets today such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Social Security system.
We face tough times now, though in very minor measure when compared to the profoundly wide-spread deprivation of the Great Depression.
Still, Steinbeck’s story of the Joad family’s exodus from the ruined Dust Bowl of Depression-era Oklahoma — now in its stage iteration at Zach Theatre — makes for a timely reminder of the power of community, as it would no matter when it’s staged.
Almost 20 years ago, Frank Galait, of Chicago’s famed Steppenwolf Theatre Company, took on the challenge of adapting Steinbeck’s now-iconic novel for the stage. And the resulting play netted Galati a Tony Award in 1990 for Best Play.
Zach Theatre artistic director Dave Steakley now brings his vision of Galati’s faithful adaptation to Zach’s Kleberg Stage in a solid and sure production.
Galati’s packed plenty of Steinbeck’s long and winding narrative into a two-and-one-half-hour two-act drama. And it dashes along, with the plot and exposition fairly whisking by in a blink at times. Still, it’s all crammed in there: the Joad’s journey in a decrepit truck to California in search of a better life, the realization that there is no promised land of abundant well-paying work, the harsh injustices of an exploitative agri-business system and the call for an collective action and understanding.
Perhaps true to Steinbeck credo of collection action, Galati’s theatrical treatment offers a showcase for ensemble acting. And the 22-member Zach cast pulls it off with aplomb. A passle of Zach Theatre and Austin acting veterans — Dirk Van Allen, Marc Pouhe, Lana Deitrick, Harvey Guion, Janelle Buchanan, Tom Green, Zach Thompson - front the tight ensemble, some of whom seamlessly shape-shift through multiple characters.
Music director Allen Robertson has crafted an effective musical overlay of traditional songs and hymns that lace throughout the drama, sung by cast members (led by singer/actor John Pointer on guitar), setting mood and serving as nice transitional interludes between scenes.
Set designer Cliff Simon conceived of sparse stage that through color and simple effects evoked the dusty, parched fields. An inventive wheeled wooden contraption played the part of the Joad’s jalopy.
Most importantly, though, Galati’s stage adaptation includes Steinbeck’s original ending — a symbolic act of humanity in which a starving man is breast fed — a scene omitted from the popular 1940 John Ford film version, likely because of its then-controversial nature.
That simple yet profound act gives Steinbeck’s story the resonance that’s carried through some 80 years after it was first published. As Tom Joad himself says “Maybe I can do somethin’… maybe find out it is that’s wrong and see if they ain’t something that can be done about.”
“The Grapes of Wrath” plays 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays through May 10. Kleberg Stage, Zach Theatre, W. Riverside Dr. and S. Lamar Blvd. $36-$46 ($20 on Wednesdays)/ www.zachtheatre.org.
Photo by Kirk R. Tuck, courtesy Zach Theatre.
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What are you doing at 12:19 p.m.?
Got anything on your schedule at 12:19 p.m.? Why not take just one minute of your day to participate in Austin artist Ron Berry’s ‘12:19 Library.’
Berry is out to capture people’s one-minute audio chronicles of their lives, from 12:19 to 12:20 p.m. Participants can call 512-524-9772 at 12:19 p.m. (on their local time) and record one minute of their lives, however they choose to represent themselves and their surroundings.
Anybody, anywhere in the world is invited to participate. Do it as many times as you like. Listen to what others do at www.12nineteen.com.
As Berry says: “You can use the phone to record your surroundings, use the phone to describe what you hear, use the phone to record a phone call. Just make it one minute long from 12:19 to 12:20 p.m. If you like, you can call again the next day too. Do it as much as you like!”
Why 12:19? It’s arbitrary, though Berry says that’s the time at which the idea for the project popped into his head.
The ‘12:19 Library.’ will remain online at www.12nineteen.com and will premiere as an installation at the Austin Museum of Art as part of Berry’s indie art spectacular Fuse Box Festival that kicks off April 23. The Library is then due to travel around the country, picking up new one-minute life episodes as it goes.
What does one minute of your life sound like?
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UT postpones mural from Shepard Fairey, Obama “Hope” poster artist
The University of Texas’ College of Fine Arts has postponed the installation of a mural by Shepard Fairey, creator of the now-iconic Barack Obama “hope” image.
A giant billboard-size mural was to have been installed on the exterior of the Art Building today on campus as part of UT’s Landmarks public art program. But officials have decided to postpone the project until further notice.
From the official UT press release comes:
“We jumped at the opportunity and set the wheels in motion to take advantage of his offer,” says Landmarks director Andrée Bober. “Shepard’s work is important and perfectly suited to our program, but it was ambitious to try to pull it off in just one week. Unfortunately, we ran out of time.”
Dean of the College of Fine Arts, Doug Dempster would like to reschedule the event. “We would still like to see his work here on campus, but the compressed schedule makes it too difficult at this time. As dean of Fine Arts, I felt that we were rushing the process with an important artist and an important installation. I decided that it would be better to slow down and proceed in a more deliberate fashion. I’m sorry that we could not move fast enough for this project to happen.”
Zarathustra James, Fairey’s representative said it was great of Landmarks to welcome Fairey’s work, but that they understood the logistical challenges. “Shepard would definitely be interested in a future project,” said James. “With a little more planning, he’ll even be able to get involved with the faculty and students.”
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