THE MOTHER (a learning play)
by Bertolt Brecht
The Wooster Group’s new production of Bertolt Brecht’s story about a woman’s journey to revolutionary action. Brecht conceived of THE MOTHER as a “learning play,” intended both to entertain and to incite social change. Our modern American interpretation incorporates new music by composer Amir ElSaffar.
Production Credits
THE MOTHER (a learning play)
Directed by Elizabeth LeCompte
Composed by The Wooster Group
Text by Bertolt Brecht
Original music by Hanns Eisler
New music by Amir ElSaffar
with Jim Fletcher, Ari Fliakos, Gareth Hobbs (2019-2022 development and performances), Andrew Maillet (Los Angeles 2023), Erin Mullin, Scott Shepherd (Los Angeles 2023), Kate Valk
Sound Design and Music Arrangement: Eric Sluyter
Video Design: Irfan Brkovic
Tour Video (Los Angeles 2023): Andrew Maillet, Yudam Hyung-Seok Jeon
Lighting Design: David Sexton
Lighting Board Operator: Liz Schweitzer (The Performing Garage 2021), Cheyenne Sykes (The Performing Garage 2022)
Assistant Director & Prop Construction: Michaela Murphy
Vocal Music Director: Hai-Ting Chinn
Stage Manager: Erin Mullin
Set Construction and Tour Technical Direction (Vienna 2021): Joseph Silovsky
Technical Director (The Performing Garage 2021-22 & Los Angeles 2023): David Glista
Production Manager: Bona Lee
Translation by The Wooster Group
Music Recording: Amir ElSaffar (trumpet, santur, and modular synthesizer), Sonya Belaya (piano), Stephen Boegehold (drums), Tyrone Allen (bass), and Ole Mathisen (saxophone)
Co-Production funding provided by Wiener Festwochen and piece by piece productions.
Thank you to: Antonia Belt (costumes); Scott Shepherd (translation); Ilie Paun Capriel (props); Enver Chakartash, Charlie Coursey, Steve Cuiffo, and Matthew Dipple, who contributed to the development of the piece; and Hunter Gause (assistant house manager at The Performing Garage 2021-2022). Also thanks to Zoe Hutmacher and Tim Daniel Simon (courtesy of the Goethe Institut), who assisted in the translation process.
The Wooster Group wishes to thank the Heirs of Bertolt Brecht
Special thanks to Rita Ackermann and Hauser & Wirth.
Additional support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts (United States).
Music by Amir ElSaffar commissioned by The Wooster Group with funds from New York State Council on the Arts and New Music USA (made possible by annual program support and/or endowment gifts from Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Helen F. Whitaker Fund, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Inc., Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Howard Gilman Foundation, Anonymous).
Production History
2019 October 7 - November 5: Research and translation work at The Performing Garage
2019 November 25 - December 20: Rehearsals at The Performing Garage
2020 January 2 - 14: Rehearsals at The Performing Garage
2020 February 6 - March 18: Rehearsals at The Performing Garage
2020 August 31 - December 23: Rehearsals at The Performing Garage
2021 January 4 - April 14: Rehearsals at The Performing Garage
2021 June 8 - 17: Performances at Wiener Festwochen, Vienna, Austria
2021 September 22 - October 11: Rehearsals at The Performing Garage
2021 October 12 - November 20: Performances at The Performing Garage
2022 February 10 - 17: Rehearsals at The Performing Garage
2022 February 18 - March 19: Performances at The Performing Garage
2023 January 16 - 25: Rehearsals at The Performing Garage
2023 February 8 - 12: Performances at REDCAT, Los Angeles
