Venus in Fur at Bootless Stageworks

VENUS IN FUR by David Ives

STORY LINE: Thomas Novachek is the writer-director of a new play, an adaptation of the 1870 novel Venus in Furs which inspired the term Masochism. He is on the telephone lamenting the inadequacies of all the actresses who showed up that day to audition for the lead character, Wanda von Dunajew. Suddenly, at the last minute, a new actress, Vanda Jordan, bursts in, the exemplar of every fault he has decried: needy, crude, compliant, desperate. She convinces him to read through his play, she as Wanda and he as Severin von Kusiemski. During this reading, Vanda shows astonishing insights into the novel and her character and the balance of power shifts as the actress establishes total dominance over the director, exactly as in the novel.

“To describe Mr. Ives’s play as a sex comedy may conjure images of creaky old farces involving philandering bosses and naughty secretaries. But while it’s as funny…is also something darker, stranger and altogether more delicious: a suspense-packed study of the erotics (and the semiotics) of power, in which the two participants prove to be seriously, almost scarily adept.” – Charles Isherwood, The New York Times


Winner: Tony Award for Best Actress (Leading Role) in a Play – Nina Arianda
Winner: Theatre World Award – Best Actress (Leading Role) in a Play – Nina Arianda
Nominee: Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play – Nina Arianda
Nominee: Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead – Nina Arianda
Nominee: Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance – Nina Arianda
Nominee: Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Director
Nominee: Tony Award – Best Play
Nominee: Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Play

CAST
Sean Gallager – Thomas
Kelly Warne - Vanda (Appears Courtesy of Actors Equity Association)

March 13 @ 7:30, March 14, 15 @ 8:00pm; March 16 @ 3:00pm; March 20 @ 7:30pm; March 21, 22 @ 8:00pm
Adults - $20.00; Seniors - $18.00; Students & Military - $15.00

Venus in Fur is not suitable for young audiences. The play contains mature themes and language.

Authors

• David Ives