Sunlight Cautions: Let the Sunshine In

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once (quite famously) opined that sunlight is the best of disinfectants – heralding publicity as a remedy for corruption. [Louis D. Brandeis, What Publicity Can Do, Harper’s Wkly., Dec. 20, 1913, reprinted in Louis D. Brandeis, Other People’s Money and How The Bankers Use It, 92 (1932) (“Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.”]

It doesn’t go unnoticed that the world premiere of Sharr White’s new powerful political drama is called Sunlight – nor that it takes place entirely at night, under electric lights. (Your Hedonista attended last Friday, care of a media invite.)

In this play – currently at ArtsWest and artfully directed by Vanessa Miller – the main character Matthew Gibbon (impressively played by John Wray) is a liberal university president of any campus in the good ol’ U.S.A. you care to relate to. Here, he battles his conservative son-in-law and former academic protégé Vincent (very effectively represented by John Ulman) who now happens to be the dean of the law school with controversial opinions regarding the use of torture in the name of anti-terrorism. Charlotte (portrayed beautifully by Peggy Gannon) is lawyer, daughter to Matthew, wife to Vincent, and has her own tragic tale to tell. Then there’s Maryanne (effortlessly performed by Karen Nelson) who’s a longtime assistant to Matthew and still lives that tradition of class, manners, etiquette, and decorum that’s in danger of being exterminated in this day and age.

The trigger: September 11.

The nostalgic longing that becomes so obvious by this extremely vocal and rights-driven quartet – when combined with a very intense, adversarial reality – threatens to shed light on and thus reveal truths about matters that may very well tear this family apart (and arguably mirrors the nation’s struggle with self-identity post-September 11).

All in all, a brilliant production and winner of the Sky Cooper New American Play Prize that demands debate and unfolds like a riveting soap opera you couldn’t dream of changing the channel on. It runs a mere 4 weeks, from March 10 to April 3, 2010, with ticket prices ranging from $10-32 (recommended for ages 15 and older).

So get over there and exercise your right to view events as they unfold … and debate these issues in the full light!

(P.S. – ArtsWest has just released its intriguing 6-play/5 Seattle premier 2010-2011 season lineup – check it out!)

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable coverage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.