Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has shaped American drama for over six decades. Everyman Theatre, one of the premier performing arts theaters in Maryland, is proud to present this timeless masterpiece this spring.
A Controversial and Award-Winning Debut
When the play premiered on October 13, 1962, it sent shockwaves through the theater world. Richard Watts Jr. of the New York Post called it “the most shattering drama I have seen since O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night,” praising Albee’s sharp wit and emotional intensity.
The production dominated the Tony Awards, winning Best Play and earning accolades for its actors, director, and producer. However, not all critics were enthralled. John Chapman dismissed it as “three and a half hours long, four characters wide, and a cesspool deep.”
The play’s raw language and provocative themes led the Pulitzer committee to deny it the prize, despite strong recommendations from the drama jury. Yet, as critic Walter Kerr noted, “It need not be liked, but it must be seen.”
A Psychological Battle Unfolds
Audiences expecting a conventional mid-century family drama are in for a surprise. The play begins in a seemingly warm and privileged New England college town, where guests are welcomed into an esteemed professor’s home.
However, the first words spoken—a sharp expletive—immediately unsettle the illusion of comfort. What follows is a brutal psychological battle. Albee exposes the cracks in both marriages, turning playful banter into verbal warfare.
Chaos and Revelation
The second act’s title, Walpurgisnacht, references the legendary witches’ sabbath, emphasizing the chaos that ensues. By dawn, the characters have confronted their darkest secrets, forcing the audience to question the illusions they themselves uphold.
A Critique of American Society
While Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? unfolds over one long, harrowing night, its themes extend far beyond the personal. As Albee explained in the Saturday Evening Post, “It all starts out terribly private. Then somewhere along the line, you realize you’re talking about general matters.”
His choice to name the lead characters George and Martha nods to America’s first couple, underscoring his critique of a nation that, in his view, had drifted from its founding ideals.
Written in a time of Cold War tensions and civil rights struggles, the play confronted the contradictions of an era that was both optimistic and deeply fractured.
Scholar Lincoln Konkle argues that Albee’s work highlights the “decline of the United States from its promising beginning as a democratic society that valued individualism and liberty above all to a conformist, materialistic society that values ‘success’ above all.” These themes remain as relevant today as they were in 1962.
An Enduring Legacy
Now a cornerstone of American theater, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? continues to captivate audiences worldwide. With four Broadway revivals and countless regional productions, it has solidified its place alongside O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night as one of the great American dramas.
Albee himself revisited the play over the years, directing productions and refining the script for a 2005 revision. Though he wrote more than twenty plays and won three Pulitzer Prizes, this remains his defining work.
Experience the Power of Albee’s Vision at One of the Premier Performing Arts Theaters in Maryland
This masterpiece comes to life once again at Everyman Theatre, one of the premier performing arts theaters in Maryland. Running from March 23 – April 20, this production promises to deliver Albee’s searing dialogue and emotional depth in an intimate, unforgettable setting.
Don’t miss your chance to witness a play that continues to challenge and provoke. Secure your tickets today and experience Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? this spring.
Works Cited
- Carl, Polly. “Speaking with Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Playwright Edward Albee.” News and Articles. Steppenwolf Theatre.
- Chapman, John. “A Play Lies Under the Muck in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.” Daily News. 15 Oct. 1962.
- Hornby, Richard. “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: A Memoir.” The Hudson Review, vol. 66, no. 1, 2013.
- Kerr, Walter. “First Night Report: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” New York Herald Tribune. 15 Oct. 1962.
- Konkle, Lincoln. “‘Good, Better, Best, Bested’: The Failure of American Typology in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Edward Albee, Routledge, 2003.
- Roudané, Matthew Charles. “Historical Context.” Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: Necessary Fictions, Terrifying Realities. Twayne Publishers, 1990.
- Skow, John. “Broadway’s Hottest Playwright, Edward Albee.” Saturday Evening Post, Jan. 1964.
- Taubman, Howard. “The Theatre: Albee’s Who’s Afraid.” The New York Times. 15 Oct. 1962.
- Watts, Richard R. “Shattering Play by Edward Albee.” New York Post. 15 Oct. 1962.