February 20, 2004

The Oldest Profession takes center stage

A unique and challenging work by a major American playwright kicked off the Department of Drama and Speech's spring season. The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel ran in the Lower Depths Theater through February 15. Lane Savadove directed. The story takes place on a park bench in New York City in 1981. The characters are five "working girls" at the end of their very long careers, the youngest being 72 years old. While waiting for appointments with their gentlemen, the women reminisce about their early days in New Orleans' Storyville and argue about their limited options today. Paula Vogel is known for writing about controversial topics with depth and humor. She received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1998 for How I Learned to Drive, which dealt with pedophilia. She has also written plays about AIDS, pornography, and gay and lesbian relationships.

"A description of the plot merely scratches the surface of this play," said Savadove. "The play addresses multiple themes, such as the economic situation of women in a male society, the need for security in old age, and the fear of death and change. Paula Vogel attacks these themes with her typical insight, wit, and mastery of language."