The Zoo Story: Times Change — But Do They Really

When Edward Albee wrote his first play, The Zoo Story, many folks in society were not only seeking new meaning for their lives as an escape from the blanket of loneliness that enveloped them in a world increasingly void of any meaning due to the lack of human interaction. 

If you think this is a play written in this decade, then think again. This was 1950s America, and these connections and themes contained within this play is why theatrical director (and Calvin College senior) Josh Boerman thinks the time is ripe to pick this American play off the shelf for a two-day revival at the Dog Story Theater.

“[Zoo Story] is a play about alienation and how people in society have a hard time connecting with one another,” says Boerman. “And while it is a very difficult topic, the alignment with contemporary life in a digital age is the perfect time to revisit this Albee classic.”

And since this style of play really benefits from smaller spaces, I cannot think of a better place to intersect with the actors than at Dog Story Theater.

Ironically, this is the first work ever theatrically staged at the Dog Story Theater and is the namesake of this popular venue.

“Our name is actually derived directly from the production that helped to spawn its creation, which is The Zoo Story,” says Joe Anderson, comic and Dog Story Theater founding member. “In the play, there is a multi-page monologue about a dog often referred to as ‘the dog story.’ Thus comes our venue’s name.”

One cannot help but better understand this intimate theatre’s mission to present compelling works of theatrical art, like The Zoo Story, as well as a good comic induced laugh, too. Theatre programming, like that showcased at the Dog Story Theater, helps bridge the gap of loneliness in our lives by challenging us to step out of the shadows and into the glow of the stage lights. 

Admission: $6.