Event

Oleanna, by David Mamet

"The story is absolutely stunning, and even if you've seen the show before, the TheatreFirst production offers a whole new take. Mamet has created a remarkable and occasionally frustrating play, in which a key role of the two actors is to make you draw the conclusions." -- Pat Craig, San Jose Mercury News

Oleanna, a powerful two-character drama by David Mamet, explores the destructiveness of miscommunication and excessive political correctness. It is a play about academic politics, student/teacher relationships, and ultimately about power, in America; who has it, how did they get it and how does having it affect them as individuals. Art for the 99%.

"There can be no tougher or more unflinching play than Oleanna." -- Harold Pinter

"As if ripped right from the typewriter, it could not be more direct in its technique or more incendiary in its ambitions." -- The New York Times

"Carol comes to John's office, distraught, to ask for a passing grade; though preoccupied with his approaching tenure confirmation and plans to buy a new house, he decides to help her. What happens after is a matter of individual interpretation, even though we see exactly what happens. Or do we? What's so infernally ingenious about "Oleanna" is that as its characters vivisect what we have just witnessed, we become less and less sure of what we saw. Even more distressing is the situation itself, which slips out of control without our really understanding how or why. " -- Ben Brantley, New York Times

"One of the ten best plays of 1992...reason to cheer for the future of the theatre." -- Time Magazine

"This will be one of the most exciting, challenging and visceral experiences you ever have at the theatre." -- TheatreFIRST Artistic Director, Michael Storm

ALSO NOTE: There is only one preview scheduled for Friday, April 20th at 8pm