A Pink Chair (In Place of a Fake Antique)
The Wooster Group takes on one of the greatest figures in 20th century avant-garde theater: the iconic Polish stage director Tadeusz Kantor (1915-1990). Joining the Group as our guide and dramaturge is Kantor’s only daughter, Dorota Krakowska. Together, we explore Kantor’s penultimate production, I Shall Never Return, and through it, his lifelong obsession with the myth of the return of Odysseus.
Media & Ephemera
Production History
- Man in the Place of Kantor: Zbigniew Bzymek
- The Wratchet Schlump: Kate Valk
- Innkeeper / Odysseus: Ari Fliakos
- The Priest: Jim Fletcher
- Man with Breasts / Phemius (the minstrel): Enver Chakartash
- The Bride / Penelope (wife of Odysseus: Suzzy Roche
- Woman with Violin / Servant with Shoes in Hand: Danusia Trevino
- Woman with Bowler Hat & Laptop / Telemachus (son of Odysseus): Erin Mullin
- Man in Charge of Choir / Herdsman of Ithaca: Andrew Maillet
- Woman as Mannequin: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Herself: Dorota Krakowska
- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Dramaturg: Dorota Krakowska
- Sound & Original Music: Eric Sluyter
- Sound & Original Music: Omar Zubair
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Lighting: Ryan Seelig
- Lighting: David Sexton
- Set: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Video: Robert Wuss
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek
- Additional Video: Yudam Hyung Seok Jeon
- Additional Video: Andrew Maillet
- Additional Video: Irfan Brkovic
- Additional Video: Wladimiro Woyno
- Costumes: Enver Chakartash
- Stage Manager: Erin Mullin
- Assistant Director: Michaela Murphy
- Assistant Director: Matthew Dipple
- Choir Music Director: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Set Construction: Joseph Silovsky
- Tour Technical Director: Joseph Silovsky
- Production Manager: Bona Lee
-
Performers
- Man in the Place of Kantor: Zbigniew Bzymek
- The Wratchet Schlump: Kate Valk
- Innkeeper / Odysseus: Ari Fliakos
- The Priest: Jim Fletcher
- Man with Breasts / Phemius (the minstrel): Enver Chakartash
- The Bride / Penelope (wife of Odysseus: Suzzy Roche
- Woman with Violin / Servant with Shoes in Hand: Danusia Trevino
- Woman with Bowler Hat & Laptop / Telemachus (son of Odysseus): Erin Mullin
- Man in Charge of Choir / Herdsman of Ithaca: Andrew Maillet
- Woman as Mannequin: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Herself: Dorota Krakowska
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Dramaturg: Dorota Krakowska
- Sound & Original Music: Eric Sluyter
- Sound & Original Music: Omar Zubair
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Lighting: Ryan Seelig
- Lighting: David Sexton
- Set: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Video: Robert Wuss
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek
- Additional Video: Yudam Hyung Seok Jeon
- Additional Video: Andrew Maillet
- Additional Video: Irfan Brkovic
- Additional Video: Wladimiro Woyno
- Costumes: Enver Chakartash
- Stage Manager: Erin Mullin
- Assistant Director: Michaela Murphy
- Assistant Director: Matthew Dipple
- Choir Music Director: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Set Construction: Joseph Silovsky
- Tour Technical Director: Joseph Silovsky
- Production Manager: Bona Lee
-
Performers
- Man in the Place of Kantor: Zbigniew Bzymek
- The Wratchet Schlump: Kate Valk
- Innkeeper / Odysseus: Ari Fliakos
- The Priest: Jim Fletcher
- Man with Breasts / Phemius (the minstrel): Enver Chakartash
- The Bride / Penelope (wife of Odysseus: Suzzy Roche
- Woman with Violin / Servant with Shoes in Hand: Danusia Trevino
- Woman with Bowler Hat & Laptop / Telemachus (son of Odysseus): Erin Mullin
- Man in Charge of Choir / Herdsman of Ithaca: Gareth Hobbs
- Man as Mannequin: Andrew Maillet
- Herself: Dorota Krakowska
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Composed by: The Company
- Dramaturg: Dorota Krakowska
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Lighting: Ryan Seelig
- Set: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Sound & Original Music: Eric Sluyter
- Sound & Original Music: Omar Zubair
- Video: Robert Wuss
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek
- Additional Video: Wladimiro Woyno
- Additional Video: Irfan Brkovic
- Additional Video: Andrew Maillet
- Stage Manager: Erin Mullin
- Costumes: Enver Chakartash
- Assistant Director: Matthew Dipple
- Choir Music Director: Gareth Hobbs
- Set Construction: Joseph Silovsky
- Technical Director: Bill Ballou
- Production Manager: Bona Lee
-
Performers
- Man in the Place of Kantor: Zbigniew Bzymek
- The Wratchet Schlump: Kate Valk
- Innkeeper / Odysseus: Ari Fliakos
- The Priest: Jim Fletcher
- Man with Breasts / Phemius (the minstrel): Enver Chakartash
- The Bride / Penelope (wife of Odysseus: Suzzy Roche
- Woman with Violin / Servant with Shoes in Hand: Danusia Trevino
- Woman with Bowler Hat & Laptop / Telemachus (son of Odysseus): Erin Mullin
- Man in Charge of Choir / Herdsman of Ithaca: Gareth Hobbs
- Man as Mannequin: Andrew Maillet
- Herself: Dorota Krakowska
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Dramaturg: Dorota Krakowska
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Lighting: Ryan Seelig
- Tour Lighting: David Sexton
- Set: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Sound & Original Music: Eric Sluyter
- Sound & Original Music: Omar Zubair
- Video: Robert Wuss
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek
- Additional Video: Wladimiro Woyno
- Tour Video: Wladimiro Woyno
- Tour Video: Irfan Brkovic
- Stage Manager: Erin Mullin
- Costumes: Enver Chakartash
- Assistant Director: Matthew Dipple
- Choir Music Director: Gareth Hobbs
- Set Construction: Joseph Silovsky
- Technical Director: Bill Ballou
- Production Manager: Bona Lee
-
Performers
- Man in the Place of Kantor: Zbigniew Bzymek
- The Wratchet Schlump: Kate Valk
- Innkeeper / Odysseus: Ari Fliakos
- The Priest: Jim Fletcher
- Man with Breasts / Phemius (the minstrel): Enver Chakartash
- The Bride / Penelope (wife of Odysseus: Suzzy Roche
- Woman with Violin / Servant with Shoes in Hand: Danusia Trevino
- Woman with Bowler Hat & Laptop / Telemachus (son of Odysseus): Erin Mullin
- Man in Charge of Choir / Herdsman of Ithaca: Gareth Hobbs
- Man as Mannequin: Andrew Maillet
- Herself: Dorota Krakowska
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Composed by: The Company
- Dramaturg: Dorota Krakowska
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Lighting: Ryan Seelig
- Set: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Sound & Original Music: Eric Sluyter
- Sound & Original Music: Omar Zubair
- Video & Projections: Robert Wuss
- Stage Manager: Erin Mullin
- Costumes: Enver Chakartash
- Assistant Director: Enver Chakartash
- Assistant Director: Matthew Dipple
- Choir Music Director: Gareth Hobbs
- Additional Video: Zbigniew Bzymek
- Additional Video: Wladimiro Woyno
- Video Cueing System Development: Wladimiro Woyno
- Video Cueing System Development: Andrew Maillet
- Technical Fellow: Emery Reyes
- Lighting Operator: Matthias Neckermann
- Set Construction: Joseph Silovsky
- Technical Director: Jacob Bigelow
- Production Manager: Bona Lee
-
Performers
- Man in the Place of Kantor: Zbigniew Bzymek
- The Wratchet Schlump: Kate Valk
- Innkeeper / Odysseus: Ari Fliakos
- The Priest: Jim Fletcher
- Man with Breasts / Phemius (the minstrel): Enver Chakartash
- The Bride / Penelope (wife of Odysseus: Suzzy Roche
- Woman with Violin / Servant with Shoes in Hand: Danusia Trevino
- Woman with Bowler Hat & Laptop / Telemachus (son of Odysseus): Erin Mullin
- Man in Charge of Choir / Herdsman of Ithaca: Gareth Hobbs
- Herself: Dorota Krakowska
Production- Composed by: The Company
- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Dramaturg: Dorota Krakowska
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Lighting: Ryan Seelig
- Set: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Sound & Original Music: Eric Sluyter
- Sound & Original Music: Omar Zubair
- Video & Projections: Robert Wuss
- Stage Manager: Erin Mullin
- Costumes: Enver Chakartash
- Assistant Director: Enver Chakartash
- Assistant Director: Matthew Dipple
- Choir Music Director: Gareth Hobbs
- Additional Video: Zbigniew Bzymek
- Additional Video: Wladimiro Woyno
- Video Cueing System Development: Wladimiro Woyno
- Video Cueing System Development: Andrew Maillet
- Set Construction: Joseph Silovsky
- Technical Director: Jacob Bigelow
- Production Manager: Bona Lee
-
Performers
- Man in the Place of Kantor: Zbigniew Bzymek
- The Wratchet Schlump: Kate Valk
- Innkeeper / Odysseus: Ari Fliakos
- The Priest: Jim Fletcher
- Man with Breasts / Phemius (the minstrel): Enver Chakartash
- The Bride / Penelope (wife of Odysseus: Suzzy Roche
- Woman with Violin / Servant with Shoes in Hand: Danusia Trevino
- Woman with Bowler Hat & Laptop / Telemachus (son of Odysseus): Erin Mullin
- Man in Charge of Choir / Herdsman of Ithaca: Gareth Hobbs
- Herself: Dorota Krakowska
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Dramaturg: Dorota Krakowska
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Lighting: Ryan Seelig
- Set: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Sound & Original Music: Eric Sluyter
- Sound & Original Music: Omar Zubair
- Choir Music Director: Gareth Hobbs
- Video & Projections: Robert Wuss
- Video and Projection Assistant: Wladimiro Woyno
- Additional Video: Zbigniew Bzymek
- Costumes: Enver Chakartash
- Assistant Director: Matthew Dipple
- Stage Manager: Erin Mullin
- Set Construction: Joseph Silovsky
- Video Cueing System Development: Andrew Maillet
- Production Manager: Bona Lee
Additional Credits
During the April 28-June 2, 2018, performances at The Performing Garage, Scott Shepherd and Matthew Dipple performed the roles normally performed by Enver Chakartash
Translations and musical arrangements by The Wooster Group.
Thanks to the following people for their contributions to this piece: Ruud van den Akker, Eric Dyer, Laura Hopkins, and Bozkurt Karasu (set elements); and Antonia Belt, Claudia Hill, and Elizabeth Jenyon (costume elements).
Excerpts from the film of I Shall Never Return courtesy of the filmmaker Andrzej Sapija.
Special thanks to Scott Shepherd and Paul Lazar.
A Pink Chair (In Place of a Fake Antique) was co-commissioned by Instytut Adama Mickiewicza, Poland, and the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College where it premiered at the Bard SummerScape Festival in 2017.
Performances at the 2023 Festival Internationale Neue Drama (FIND) were supported by Polnisches Institut Berlin.
This piece was made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Arts Art Works Program; the Trust for Mutual Understanding; and the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Theater Project Transitions Program, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.