Although almost 40 years have passed since the premier of Lanford Wilson’s “The Gingham Dog,” the controversial play still retains its historical and cultural significance. Audiences still will find the play relevant when it premieres at VCU’s Shafer Street Playhouse Friday.
The first play of the Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre’s season, “The Gingham Dog,” seeks to provoke thought and discussion among members of the VCU community. The play elaborates on a topic long avoided, according to director and fourth-year theater-performance major Trey Hartt-interracial relationships.
“The civil-rights movement was in full swing back (in 1969), and the issue of race was being talked about, but – for me – it didn’t seem like it was being talked about on a one-on-one level,” Hartt said.
Hartt credited Wilson’s bravery for shedding light on what has been a long-unspoken issue.
“Lanford Wilson took a big risk in writing this play back in 1969, because he wrote about a topic that people weren’t discussing – particularly between interracial couples – the smaller details in life,” Hartt said.
The audience is welcomed into the world of a socially disrupted couple, Vincent and Gloria, as the two prepare to go their separate ways. Vincent – a young, white man working for an architecture firm – is criticized by his black, activist wife for drawing up plans for high rises that impoverish low-income families.
“His idea is that he’s doing good by helping these families. She attacks the issue from a perspective of race, and he defends it from a perspective of class,” Hartt said. “It’s very interesting to be able to relate somewhat on both sides.”
Vincent and Gloria, meanwhile, are being influenced by their families-through communication issues or through homegrown perspectives on race and class.
“The couple is receiving pressures from all sides. Vincent grew up in Kentucky, and his sister comes to help him pack and move. Through this, you get to hear about his background and her background and their point of view about race and how it’s so different from Gloria’s point of view.
“Then, you hear about (Gloria’s) parents – with whom she hasn’t spoken in four years – that never wanted this relationship to happen,” Hartt said.
Hartt, a member of the Conciliation Project – whose mission is to improve the future by addressing the past through dramatic works – emphasized the importance of post-performance dialogue among audience members.
“I’m hoping that it can start conversations between people just through the different perspectives on how race has influenced this couple’s lives,” Hartt said.
Hartt mentioned that, although the play covers sensitive ground, humorous elements and great acting will not suffer.
“Even though the show is dealing with such a heavy topic, there’s comedy throughout the entire play. People aren’t going to leave the theater thinking they just sat through an hour and a half of heavy, heavy drama-we will have some fun. It’s a terrific cast too.”
Mostly composed of seniors, “The Gingham Dog” cast boasts a lot of experience. Olisa Enrico, first-year graduate student; Jacquelynn Camden, fourth-year performance major; Mike Hamilton, fourth-year performance major; and Trevor Dawkins, fourth-year performance major, all were featured repeatedly throughout the last SALT season.
As the director of the fi rst play of the season, Hartt said he was very excited to present his vision on behalf of SALT. If the early initiative is any indication, we have an exciting season ahead of us.
“It’s a big accomplishment for SALT to have a show this early in the year, after the first week of school. We’re all excited that we could have a show so early and get the season going,” Hartt said. “We hope that the student body can see the greater role that SALT and student theater are playing within the VCU community.”
“The Gingham Dog,” written by Lanford Wilson and directed by Trey Hartt, runs Aug. 29-31 at 8 p.m. at the Shafer Street Playhouse’s Newdick Theatre. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free to the public.