Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-10-01
BY JAY CARMODY

Of sand. cement, glass, tile,
conduits and other, items of
100000 worth of theater
construction. Arena Stage is
on the threshold of returning
to the drama.
The climactjc date for it's
1l-year climb from small
but antiseptic hovel to palace
is October 81.
On this occasion, before an
audience of distinction and
unbelieving wonder. It will
present the first play of its
1872 season. Thus one
more act of faith will have
produced a miracle in an
era waiting for the count
down on the planets future.
This universal sion,
Arenas staff escaped. 1t was
too busy with the more
standardized tensions.
those of getting up a building
and setting up a program.
The Blur Is Lifting
1t is now assured Of both
by opening night, but quite
sure it will never remember
the details of how the two
we're accomplished. These are
lost in a nlghtmarish blur
which Producing Director
Zelda Fichandler hopes will
be forgotten with the first
of the seasons eight plays on
the new and spacious stage.
The crucial test Of a play
program is the audiences
reaction to it. No one knows
this better than Mrs. Fich-
andler and. as the theater's
founder. no one will watch
with more intense faScina-
ton the fusion Of PLAYS and
dazzling playhouse between
now and next summer. OF
only one aspect of the sea-
sons program is she positive.
that its choice was never for
a moment influenced by the
thought that the dazzling new
buildings would sell the plays.
The reverse logic. indeed,
completely dictated the selec-
tions. just as It did in what
will be remembered as
Arenas rathSkeller years.
In order, with the same con-
Germ for quality, suitability.
variety and satisfaction of
the audience taste it has
spent IL years learning, the
seasons plays are:
Albee Play oil List
The Caucasian Chalk
Circle" by Bertolt Brecht;
The American Dream" and
What Shall We Tell Caro-
line?" a combination Of short
plays by Edward Albee and
John Mortimer; The Mad
woman of Chaillot," by Jean
Giraudoux: Moon in the
Yellow River" by Denis
Johnston; "Misalliance." Ber-
nard Shaw. The Burning of
the Lepers," Wallace Ham
ilton: Uncle Vanya," Anton
Chekhov, and The Time of
Your Life" William Saroyan.
If any one of these was
more carefully considered
than any of the others
and Mrs. Fichandler thinks
MOTT could be Brecht's
world-famed but seldom seen
Chalk Circle" This will
be Washington theatergoers'
first experience of Brecht,
the spectacular nonconformist
among goth century drama
fists, artistically, politically
and in every other aspect.
1t is a new version of the
Brecht classic that Arena
will offer, an adaptation by
John Holmstrom which rec
ognizes the author of the
original as being as much
poet as playwright, and as
individually styled as the
most gifted of either.
Based on Chinese Fable
Its potential of excitement,
matching that OF the new
building, influenced the
choice of the Brecht play as
Arenas opener. For all its
exuberance and challenge to
drama conventions, THE
Chalk Circle" is at core an
old play. derived from an
ancient Chinese fable.
Three others of the nine
plays-counting the two in
the combined short play
production--will be new to
Washington.
These are The American
Dream" by Mr.. Albee. and
What Shall We Tell Caro-
line?" the Mortimer work.
They could hardly be more
different in mood from the
Brecht play. They are, how
ever, quite similar the one
to the other. Both Mr.. Albee,
who is American, and Mr..
Mortimer, English, are satir-
lists, each taking in these two
brief works hooking looks at
that basic unit of contem-
porary society, the family.
If there Is an avant garde
work among Arenas seasons
eight, it is the third new play
in the series, Mr.. Hamilton's
Burning of the Lepers."
This will have its first pres
entation anywhere at Arena, \
spinning a narrative of re-
venge, fear, and faith in 14th
century France all the way
to--Mrs. Fichandler says
the Goth century.