Love. Loss. The story we are telling is about the universal human experiences of love and loss. What does it mean to love, really love, someone? What happens when we lose, really lose, someone we love, even at the beginning of life?
When we first began exploring the themes, I saw students make connections as they developed their characters. It was important since everyone plays multiple roles and all are member of the collective Chorus weaving in and out of time together.
We learned about the history of the time from the tragic Eastland Riverboard Disaster to Trudy Ederle and Johnny Weismuller to Flappers and Feminism of the era. We unveiled the connections to modern times as the play travels forward, suffering through countless losses of people, animals, hopes, and futures. Then we began developing the characters' stories. Much of that research is shared in our lobby display, along with our character work.
This timeless tale is set in and around 1928 in Chicago in the Fail Clockworks, established 1900. Although staying true to the era in many respects, we push against the repression in our interpretation that connects to current issues. This play is full of love, but it also full of loss. It is funny, sweet, sentimental, and tragic.
After the immigration of their parents, and their subsequent death, we see examples of strong females in the three Fail sisters who push against the norms of society to be recognized as equals as they manage the family business, pursue their own interests, and also explore their own way to love after suffering the tragic loss of their parents. The play explores the embracing of an adoptive brother John N. while recognizing his own struggles to feel like he belongs in his adoptive family.
It is the central story of Mortimer Mortimer, though, who finds love, uplifting that love comes in many forms, despite suffering loss over and over again. We are reflecting the ways love is shown on stage beyond the Eurocentric binary, amplifying love across race, ethnicity, and gender.
Our cast and crew also had the special opportunity to e-meet the playwright Philip Dawkins where he spent time answering our questions about the play and his process. He shared several poignant thoughts, including that this play is about Love, Success, Compansionship, and Friendship. He believes if you love something, then you can communicate with it, such as Gerty talking to the clocks. With so many different kinds of love, from Ludus to Agape, Pragma and Storge to Eros among others, it's a spectrum of the kind of love we experience in our own lives. It is reflected in this play.
This play was written in 2014, the same year the marriage equality act was passed. The Love family was one of the court cases that worked to overturn the ban on same sex marriage. A victory for LOVE. But that wasn't always the case.
I think that's why Mortimer Mortimer's line "I JUST WANT TO MARRY THE PERSON THAT I LOVE!!" strikes so close to folks' heart. I believe we can't possibly have enough love in the world for each other. Same. Different. And everything in between. We must lead with love, compassion, and caring if we are to be the world we want to live in.
Someone I love very dearly suggested I direct this show, one of my best friends, Maryann, a brilliant theatre teacher and director. And I'm so glad she did because I've come to really love this story and these characters. Someone else I love, my husband Derek, also willingly agree to pour his love into me and this production to make it remarkable. I also really love my students and I'm so proud of them for telling this story we love. We can't lose when we lead with love!
Love is love is love is love is love. And I hope you love Failure: A Love Story.
--jo director
