OLEANNA Performs One Weekend Only In The Black Box At Perseverance

Power, privilege, and political correctness collide in David Mamet's Oleanna, performing August 23-26 as part of the Black Box series at Perseverance Theatre. Enrique Bravo directs Erika Bergren and Bryan Crowder, two young Juneau actors portraying two deeply flawed characters on opposite sides of a campus sexual harassment case.

"Oleanna will challenge the audience to pick a winner, when in reality there isn't one," Crowder says. "The play explores what happens when two people refuse to understand each other, and the damage it can do, both physically and mentally."

In the first scene of Mamet's controversial play from 1992, college student Carol drops by her professor's office, seeking help to do better in class. John, the professor, in the midst of buying a house to celebrate his nomination for tenure, at first seems distant. The two discuss the nature of understanding and judgment in society, as well as their very own natures and places in our society. It seems as if a bond has formed, but later we find that a report has been filed to the tenure committee: Carol has joined a "group" and claimed that John sexually harassed her. Their second meeting dissects the first; every word, every nuance of the first meeting has been twisted into something else. Or has it? John's attempts to convince Carol To retract her accusation escalate to a dangerous level. The third meeting, one the court officers warned against, climaxes violently, leaving John and Carol both physically and emotionally devastated.

"I chose [Oleanna] for a variety of reasons," says director Enrique Bravo, actor-in-residence at Perseverance. "The fact that it's a strong two-hander with one set throughout the entire piece was helpful, given the logistics of the Black Box, but I also feel that this play has a lot to say in our current climate. Twenty-five-plus years since Oleanna was first produced, and these power dynamics between men and women are really just starting to be examined," Bravo adds, pointing to the #MeToo movement and other examples.

A prolific and widely acclaimed writer of plays, films, books, and essays, Mamet has been a polarizing figure in the theatre world. An essay in The Guardian last year carried the representative headline "The Seven Rages of David Mamet: Genius or Symbol of Toxic Masculinity?" Now in his 70s, Mamet seems to embrace controversy more readily than ever: Glengarry Glen Ross, his Pulitzer Prize-winning play from 1983 about crooked real estate salesmen, will receive its third Broadway revival next spring, with Amy Morton directing an all-female cast in a radical departure from the original. He's also reportedly working on a play about disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Bergren says she approached Oleanna with an open mind-and hopes viewers will, too.

"Carol really grows into her power," the actor says. "At the beginning of the play she is unsure of herself and vulnerable. By the end she is completely self-assured, powerful, and convincing in her views."

"My hope is to provoke thought and keep the conversation going," adds Bravo. "That is one of the things I have always loved about theatre: its ability to serve as a platform for difficult conversations."

The Black Box at Perseverance Theatre is an ongoing studio series housed in the company's second space, The Phoenix (adjacent to the lobby at 914 Third Street in Douglas). Curated by Perseverance-affiliated artists, and open to participation by everyone, The goal of The Black Box is to foster emerging local talents-writers, actors, directors, technicians, and more-by providing opportunities apart from our mainstage productions.

"Black boxes are so versatile and intimate," Bergren says. "They can be set up in any configuration, which really opens a lot of opportunities to play with the space. It's a great space to experiment with shows."

Performances of Oleanna are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, August 23-25, and 4 p.m. Sunday, August 26, in The Phoenix Theatre at Perseverance, 914 Third St. in Douglas. Tickets are $20 and available at www.ptalaska.org, or by calling 907-463-TIXS (8497).