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."