"Word for Word’s powers of transformation, its essential theatricality, comes through and gratifies. If Mikey staggers on his journey to find “Home,” the company has its feet firmly planted on soil richly sewn for the past three decades and counting."
—Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle
Z Space and Word for Word present:
Home By George Saunders
Directed by Sheila Balter
April 5-29 at Z Below
The story of Mikey, a war veteran returning to a home that is increasingly cruel and absurd—and his quest for understanding and compassion. George Saunders’ subtle yet absurdist humor brings a unique slant to otherwise dark topics.
Of "Home", George Saunders says, "If you send four hundred thousand people into a shitstorm, don’t expect everybody to come back smelling like roses. Some of them are going to come back damaged. To show ourselves to be an honorable culture, we have to step up and deal with them with all the generosity and love we can summon, or shame on us."
“There are some terrific performances here—Brian Rivera …[gives] us glimpses of the regrets and rage that lie just under his calm mien…Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe is wonderful as Mikey's mother..whose face often shows the terror she must be feeling as her life begins to come apart.”
—Patrick Thomas, Talikn’ Broadway
Home actors Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe, Robert Ernst and JoAnne Winter were interviewed by David Latulippe as part of KALW's On the Arts show on Wednesday, April 12.
This show runs approximately one hour with no intermission.
Content Warning: Simulated sounds of gunshots and explosions and descriptions of war.
Word for Word has a long history of adapting Saunders’ work, going back to 2017 when they performed a staged reading of a section from his novel Lincoln in the Bardo at both the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco and Shakespeare & Co. in Paris. Saunders both attended and performed in both readings. Duly impressed by their signature style of using the entire text of a work in realizing a dramatic adaptation of a piece, he has graciously lent his permission for Word for Word to use his work in subsequent productions, and has often participated in post-show conversations. Most recently his short story “Victory Lap” was given a full production treatment in Word for Word’s 25th Anniversary Show (2018).
Cast
Tre’Vonne Bell
Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe
Robert Ernst*
Norman Gee*
Lisa Hori-Garcia*
Brennan Pickman-Thoon*
Brian Rivera*
JoAnne Winter*
Creative Team
Director: Sheila Balter
Dramaturg: John M. Meyer, Ph.D.
Scenic Design: Mikiko Uesugi**
Lighting Design: Jim Cave
Sound Design: Cliff Caruthers**
Costume Design: Callie Floor**
Choreographer: Christy Funsch
Production Team
Stage Manager: Karen Runk*
Assistant Stage Manager: Theodore Cordano
*Member, Actors' Equity Association
**Member, United Scenic Artists
Photo: © Zach Krahmer
“I was starstruck by the amazingly talented actors, and so grateful for the stunning production. It made me see my own work in a different light.”
—George Saunders on Word for Word’s adaptation of “Victory Lap”
We are proud to have Nick Morrison from the Wounded Warrior Project as our post show speaker on Saturday, April 15.
The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) began in 2003 as a small, grassroots effort providing simple care and comfort items to the hospital bedsides of the first wounded service members returning home from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, through their direct programs in mental health, career counseling, and long-term rehabilitative care, along with their advocacy efforts, they improve the lives of millions of warriors and their families.
