The Goodman Theatre
170 N Dearborn St
312.443.3800
This event has passed.
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Stephen Louis Grush in A True History of the Johnstown Flood, Courtesy Denise Schneider
- When
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Mar 13, 2010 – Apr 18, 2010
Daily
- Where
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- Price
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$25 - 80
- Links
“The 1889 Pennsylvania flood that claimed 2200 lives was a more deadly natural disaster than Hurricane Katrina, but in both cases, human folly likely contributed to the death total. Seeing parallels between the two catastrophes, playwright Rebecca Gilman explores the role of art in the wake of tragedy, an issue whose currency only deepened with the devastating Haiti earthquake shortly before this show's premiere. Gilman extends a fruitful decade-long collaboration with the Goodman, including two highly acclaimed plays commissioned by the theater, Spinning Into Butter and Boy Gets Girl, the former now headed for the silver screen with Sarah Jessica Parker in the lead role.”
Ben Bass, Flavorpill
Goodman Theatre says: The devastating Johnstown Flood of 1889 serves as the backdrop for this provocative world premiere by Rebecca Gilman. Baxter Theatre Troupe — comprised of siblings James, Richard and Fanny — has been summoned to perform at an exclusive resort next to a beautiful man-made lake in the Pennsylvania mountains. Although the troupe's repertoire consists of the romantic trifles typical of the era, James envisions a different kind of play, exposing the true struggles of common people. When a violent rainstorm compromises the lake's shoddily constructed dam, the resulting disaster lays bare the tragic inequities of the rigid class system — and paves the way for a seismic change in both theater and society.
