Sunday, November 3, 2PM – 4PM at the Ohio Wesleyan University Chappelear Drama Center, 40 Rowland Avenue, Delaware, OH 43015
The Ohio State University Humanities Institute, in partnership with the Ohio Wesleyan University Department of Theatre and Dance, is hosting a performance of David Mamet’s one act comedy, The Duck Variations. The performance is produced by A Portable Theater, a non-profit professional theatrical touring company based in Central Ohio.
The Duck Variations: When two elderly men meet in the park, their chance encounter becomes a comic battle of wits. George and Emil are stubborn, highly opinionated and hilariously misinformed. Who is the wiser of the two? In fourteen short scenes – or “variations” – they verbally spar like prizefighters to find out. And what do they fight about? Pollution, money, the government, outer space, the law, mother nature, the value of friendship, mortality and the majestic life of the duck. (Imagine George Burns vs. Jack Benny and you’ll get the idea.)
After the play, we invite you to talk with actors Jonathan Putnam and Geoffrey Nelson in a freewheeling discussion about Mamet’s play and the APT performance.
Jonathan Putnam is a freelance actor, director, and voice-over artist. He has acted in over one hundred shows and directed at least twenty. He began his career in summer stock and dinner theatre and went on to perform regionally in Los Angeles, New York, Cincinnati, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana and other places.
Geoffrey Nelson has been acting professionally for more than forty years. A native of Maine and graduate of Bowdoin College, Nelson has performed in everything from summer stock to dinner theatre, from resident theatre to touring productions to one-man shows.
The mission of A Portable Theatre is to create professional theatre for the enrichment of communities throughout Ohio. APT is a non-profit, professional theatrical touring company based in central Ohio using use highly-skilled, professional actors – usually members of Actors Equity – as well as professional directors, dramaturgs, designers and stage managers.
This Conversation in the Humanities is free and open to the public.