THE WOLVES

DIRECTOR'S NOTES

As a director, I have sometimes encountered a misconception that theatre needs to be painful for everyone involved, that if you aren’t sacrificing personal wellbeing for the sake of character and craft, you aren’t making good art. The Wolves is my wholehearted disagreement of this premise. The story has difficult and painful material in it, yes, but as an ensemble, we have approached the work with love, with joy, and with a sheer gratefulness that we are able to make art together during a global pandemic.

I also believe this story is necessary for our times. It presents a narrative of nine strong, young women, grappling with the big questions of life as they score goals, debate politics, and deal with victories and losses both on and off the field. The show is a powerful cathartic experience rooted in Greek drama and, in a return to traditional theatre, takes place outdoors in an arena-style performance on Mulligan Field. It is also a complex story, one that acknowledges the privilege with which these teenagers encounter the world as white, middle class individuals while still representing the very real struggles of modern womanhood.

I, and the cast, have approached this coming-of-age story as a band of sisters, heading out into battle together. We’ve faced each challenge in the production and performance of this tale with grit, determined to tell the story of women warriors.

Because before all else, we are a team. We are the Wolves.