Project 2- Statement

In Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, the specific setting is never mentioned. In the play it states that the play takes place in “The living room of a house on the campus of a small New England college" Which means that it takes place in one of the states in the northeast corner of the United States. While researching the playwright and the show itself, I was able to come up with the conclusion that the world of my play will take place in Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. The playwright of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is an alumni of Trinity College, so I thought it best to use that location because it ties in with the playwright. 


Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was written in a time in American culture when the wives stayed at home and the image of their family was squeaky clean. Feminism was barely starting to surface, Betty Friedan wrote Feminine Mystique, which attacked the image of women just being able to be childbearing housewives.


A lot of different events happened in the 1960s, The Cuban Missle Crisis, Vietnam war and the assassination of JFK, during these events there was a lot of political controversy and many of the writers in that time period were starting to expose American values and their faults. Edward Albee was definitely a writer that didn't have a problem exposing Americas culture and faults.

During the 1960s the language that George and Martha used in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was not common, so it shocked many audiences. Now in todays society when someone uses a curse word we don't even think twice, when couples fight at the grocery store we mind our own business and don't even care. The play opened in 1962 at the Billy Rose Theatre, many members of the audience shocked at the language and sexuality of the play, it was something they have never seen before.


In 1966, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was adapted into a film. The film was directed by Mike Nicols and the screenplay was written by Ernest Lehman, Lehman kept most of the dialogue from the Edward Albee's play. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton starred in this film as a controversial couple, which they could relate because thats what they were in their own personal lives. 


In my sounds and images I included mostly videos that relate to the time period and the context of the play. 
I included  a video of Betty Davis saying her infamous line "What a Dump", which was also used in the play.


In the play a lot of liquor and cigarettes are involved so I included some videos of different liquor and cigarette ads from the 1960s. 


I also included a video of a cliche family during the 1960's, this video give you an example on how the traditional American family was supposed to be. 


I also included a video of Lesley Gore with her song "You Don't Own Me", this song is a perfect example for women's rebellion and rights.