Good Person of Szechuan

Notes from the Director

I knew this cat named Darrell, he didn't have a dollar
He was Harvard material, Ivy League scholar
Had a Ph.D., had an M.B.A.
But now he's waiting tables cause there's rent to pay
Companies downsizing, inflation's rising
Can't find a job, he's feeling kind of stressed
Doesn't even feel the effects when he says
Forgot to count how many times he been blessed
So he falls off track, starts smoking the crack
And once it hits his brain, it starts to chain react
He sells the shirt off his back, shoes off his feet
He's losing all his teeth, now he's out in the street
And all of sudden he's like Jesse James
Trying to stick up kids for their watches and chains
But he's from business school, and he's nervous with the tool
So he ends up on his back in a bloody pool
—Everlast, “Ends” from Whitey Ford Sings the Blues

Recession or not, people are feeling the pinch. And those who had already been feeling the pinch are now scrambling to stay on track, as desperation and need reach past the poor and even the working class to grab the middle class.

Once you fall behind, there seems to be no catching up. Cars—sometimes the only way to get to a job—fall into disrepair and fail, or gas becomes too expensive; health care becomes emergency care only, degrading quality and length of life; and debt interest swallows the paycheck you need to buy food. People are overwhelmed and see no way out as everything around them loses value—is it any wonder if they slip into dishonesty? As Shen Te says, “How can I stay good when everything is so expensive?

All the characters in Good Person interact with poverty differently—some sinking further into it through despair, dishonesty, neglect, poor choices or inaction, and others managing to rise in station, even if only a little bit. Watch them carefully, Brecht seems to be saying, to see what combination of smarts and flexibility might allow a person to navigate, even thrive in our difficult world.

Brecht set this play in Szechuan—itself the scene of dramatic devastation recently—but of course he was really writing about the poor everywhere, and, no big surprise, the complex problems that go with poverty are still with us in the Bay Area in 2008. As I adapted this piece, I dropped in no more than two or three topical references— everything else is Brecht’s and as timely as ever (except for the tobacco trade around which the action is based—folks, do not take up smoking!) And we as individuals and as a nation need to (and actually can) address this growing poverty—flip through this program or visit our usher for some practical suggestions—but as Brecht well knew, we also need a good laugh. So he gives us a ripping yarn, great songs, and characters straight out of a farce.

His main character is the wonderfully written Shen Te, a woman who is too generous for her own good—and is a perfect character for a Woman’s Will show. As she tries to walk the line between being good to others and protecting herself, she creates a male alter ego, Shui Ta, to smooth the path. As with our actors, Shen Te is trying on another role as a way to expand her means of expression, to grow into a person capable of exercising all parts of her personality, not just the socially acceptable ones. She needs to become a man because he can be what she cannot bring herself to be as a woman. She needs to be loved; he does not. She craves approval; he just wants things to run smoothly. She is weak—but as a man, she is strong and as ruthless as she sometimes needs to be. In another playwright’s play, we would see Shen Te integrate these two parts of her personality and live with grace, but Brecht doesn’t let us off so easily.

Through this character and throughout the play, Brecht poses his thorny central question: What is it to be a good person? As Shen Te says:
"Waste no one’s life, not even one’s own.
Bringing joy for everyone—yes also yourself—that
Is good.”

Given this notion, who is the Good Person of the title? Is Shen Te good because she gives her all to others? Or is Shui Ta more good since he transforms welfare to jobs, good jobs in the view of some, sweatshop labor in others’ eyes. Is Wang good? The rugselling couple? Or is our Good Person truly missing? And what are we, the audience, going to do about it?
 

Bios

Good Person of Szechuan
Bios

Cast:
El Beh (Shen Te/Shui Ta) was most recently seen in The Country Club with Dragon Productions. Other recent shows include Seussical with Berkeley Playhouse, Cradle Will Rock and Urinetown. Ms. Beh is a graduate of UC Berkeley’s Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies.

Holly Chou (Wang) is delighted to be back with Woman's Will after playing Benvolio in last season's Romeo and Juliet, Marie in Use Both Hands (an original play with Sleepwalkers Theatre), traveling to Melbourne to play Woland in Four Larks Theatre's The Invitation, and before heading to New York to work with anyone willing to cast her. Other credits include The Cradle Will Rock, Three Sisters, and Tooth and Nail with UC Berkeley's Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies.

Sophie Dresser (Niece/Hooker/Carpenter’s Child #2) is a recent graduate of Albany High School, and a member of Oberlin College's class of 2012. She has portrayed Antigone in Antigone, Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew, and Goneril in King Lear. Ms. Dresser also successfully directed the Albany High School Theater Ensemble's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream this past spring.

Sarah Eismann (Carpenter/Beautification Brigade), a native of New Jersey. got her BFA in Drama and Biology at Tisch School for the Arts at NYU. Among others, she has worked with the National Theatre Conservatory in Denver, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, the Tony Award winning Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, California Shakespeare Theatre, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Center REP, Pear Avenue Theatre, Playhouse West, and can be seen performing regularly with the long form improv troupe Middle School Poetry. She thanks her incredible fiancé for all his amazing support, and her family, without whom nothing would be possible.

Anne Hallinan (Mrs. Shin) is delighted to be making her first appearance with Woman's Will. She returned to the stage on the eve of the millennium, reprising a commedia role from many years before in the San Francisco Mime Troupe’s 40th Anniversary celebration. Since then she has performed with TheatreFIRST, theatre Q, El Teatro Campesino, Stanford Summer Theater, Golden Thread, Word for Word, the MultiEthnic Theatre and the Tabard Theatre Company. She was nominated for a Shellie Award for Best Actress for her role as Ma in Torch Song Trilogy. Ms. Hallinan is a member of Theatre Bay Area and on the Board of Z Space Studio.

Lauren Hendler (Wife/Rugman/Beautification Brigade) is excited to be making her Bay Area debut with Woman’s Will. She was a company member of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival where favorite roles included Hermione in The Winter’s Tale, Witch 3 in Macbeth, Blanche in Widower’s House and Audrey in As You Like It. Her work throughout the Pacific Northwest and New York area includes Edgar in King Lear, Natasha in Three Sisters and Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ms. Hendler received her MFA from Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Thanks to Z who makes everything possible.

Susan Jackson (God 1/Grandfather/Old Hooker) has performed major roles with Pear Avenue Theatre, Palo Alto Players, Actors Ensemble of Berkeley, Dean Lesher Center (Wit, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Three Tall Women, Six Degrees of Separation) and directed over 60 productions in the Bay Area and in the South. She teaches Playwriting, Shakespeare, Acting and Directing at City College of San Francisco where she will be directing Long Day’s Journey into Night with Lee Meriwether in the Fall. Thank you Dolores, Linda, Pam and Cathy, and Erin.

Marilet Martinez (Sister-in-Law/Beautification Brigade) is very excited to perform with Woman's Will again! She was seen last summer as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. She has performed with various companies in the Bay Area including Custom Made Theatre Co., Teatro Visión, and Busbarn Theatre. She is a teaching artist for Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Enjoy the show!

Molly Nicholas (God 2/Priest/Stealing Boy) is a recent graduate of the Clown Conservatory in San Francisco. She studied dance at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Colorado Ballet, Knox College and performed with a professional dance troupe in the Czech Republic. She currently studies contortion at the Circus Center of San Francisco.

Lisa Patten (God 3/Homeless Man) has been acting in the Bay Area for over 15 years, performing Shakespeare, comedy, drama, long-form improv and original solo work. She received her training in Boston, at Harvard, and here in San Francisco at ACT. Just a few of her favorite productions include Under Milkwood with the Shotgun Players, and Twelfth Night with Woman’s Will. This marks her third appearance with Woman’s Will.

Teri Stockton (Brother/Shu Fu) is an actor, solo performer, stand-up comic and writer who was last seen with Woman’s Will as Ned Blunt in 2003’s The Rover. She is also a teaching artist with Glitter & Razz Productions. Ms. Stockton is currently writing a performance piece based on her upbringing in the “merchant class,” as a daughter of grocers in the Central Valley of California.

Jennifer Stukey (Policeman) graduated with a BA in Theater Arts from UC Santa Cruz. Favorite credits include Regan in Shakespeare Santa Cruz’s Cinderella, Helen in Renegade Theater Experiment’s Sin, and Bodies in Crisis at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She is honored to be working with Woman’s Will for the first time.

Lisa Tateosian (Mi Tzu/Waiter) is excited to be making her Woman’s Will debut. She has worked in the Bay Area as a Teaching Artist in dance and theatre, at private studios and as an artist-in-residence in public schools. She has choreographed for California Theatre Arts, Word for Word, Golden Thread Productions, and Golden Gate Opera. Ms. Tateosian has performed with several dance and theatre companies including Ballet Afsaneh, Khadra International Dance Theatre, CTA/Crossroads, Actors Ensemble of Berkeley, and Golden Thread Productions. She recently returned from New York, where she earned a Masters Degree in Educational Theatre from New York University.

Klahr Thorsen (Husband/Mrs. Yang) is delighted to be working with Woman’s Will. Bay Area credits include: California Shakespeare Theater, San Jose Stage, San Francisco Shakespeare, Magic Theatre, Impact Theatre, Central Works, Playhouse West, New Conservatory, and Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. Chicago credits include: Fox Theatricals, Theo Ubique, Open Eye Productions, Foreground, and Phoenix Ascending.

Cecilia Velasco (Nephew/Rugwoman/Carpenter's Child #1 and Wang u/s) began her theatrical roots in a dance troupe in Mèxico, turning to physical theater at the University of Texas at El Paso, where she studied Suzuki and Viewpoints under Raul Ramos and double-majored in Theatre Arts and Psychology. She has also studied Meisner technique with Kathryn Gately and Mask, Commedia and Clowning in the Dell'Arte School of Physical Theatre’s year-long program. Recipient of an Irene Ryan Nomination for her performance in Santos and Santos at the American College Theatre Festival, she is also a director who specializes in multicultural, bilingual, experimental theater. Ms. Velasco recently completed her Master's degree at New College’s E.P.I.C.C. program and is a member of clown trio Dos Tres.

Maryssa Wanlass (Yang Sun) received her BA in Dramatic Arts from Mills College, and subsequently studied with faculty from the Moscow Art Theatre at Harvard's Stanislavsky Summer School. Favorite Bay Area roles include Eve Harrington in Theatre Rhino's Awe About Eve, Wolf-Hybrid-Woman in Too Far Production's experimental performance piece Wild Animus, Nancy Pelosi in Theatre Rhino's Something About Marriage at the New York Fringe Festival, and most recently Li'l Bit in Hapgood Theatre's production of How I Learned to Drive. Love and thanks to AKM.

Production Staff:
Erin Merritt (Director)
With Woman’s Will, Artistic Director Erin Merritt has directed nine previous productions (most recently 2005’s award-winning Happy End and in 2007, both Romeo and Juliet and Antigone), choreographed fights for five, and acted in five, most recently Richard III. As actor, director and theatre teacher, Ms. Merritt has worked in the Bay Area and beyond with such companies as Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Shotgun Players, Center REPertory Company, Pacific Repertory Theatre, Willows Theatre Company, Unconditional Theatre, Washington’s Interplayers Ensemble and school districts all along the West Coast. Her Logical Brecht: what he did, why he did it, how we do it has been used as a text at Reed College since 1990. She is a member of Theatre Bay Area’s Theatre Services Committee.

Christine Bloodgood (Stage Mgr/Carpenter’s Child #3) is excited to be working on her first production with Woman's Will. Recent credits include: Crowd You’re In With, Tir na nOg, and Octopus (ASM) at the Magic Theatre Co.; Hysteria (ASM) at Aurora Theatre Co.; Nathan the Wise, and Sergeant Musgrave's Dance (SM) at TheatreFIRST; Suburbia! A Night of One Act Operas, and A Little Night Music (Production SM/SM) at Sonoma State University; and Baby with the Bathwater (ASM) at ACT’s MFA Conservatory.

Holly Chou (Costumes) See bio under "Cast."

Desiray McFall (ASM/Ceci Velasco u/s) has studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater, Laney College and has performed in several plays such as The Rover with Woman's Will, The 3 Musketeers with Role Players, To Kill a Mockingbird with Broadway West and Under Milkwood with Shotgun Players. She has appeared in the Pepsi AMP Energy Drink commercial, several industrials and most recently Pennies for the Juggernaut, a web series.

Rona Siddiqui (Composer) Award-winning composer and pianist Rona Siddiqui writes, performs and teaches music in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received her BA in Music Composition from UCLA. She has received numerous awards, including international recognition from the International Association of Women in Music for her piece Storms and Whispers. She has also written an original score to accompany Eve Ensler's acclaimed play The Vagina Monologues.

Jackie Scott (Sets/Props) is thrilled to be designing again for Woman's Will, after having done Antigone and last summer's Romeo and Juliet. She works as a scenic designer and propsmaster throughout the Bay Area, and is a recent Landisman Fellowship recipient as well as a member of Woman’s Will. Previous credits include Octopus and Monkey Room (Magic Theatre), Mrs. Warren's Profession (Shotgun Players), Metamorphoses and Bat Boy, The Musical (USF), Sergeant Musgrave's Dance, Nathan the Wise, Criminal Genius and World Music (TheatreFIRST).

Press

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Excerpts from our Good Person reviews:

Rob Hurwitt's Chronicle review

"The Good Person of Szechuan," Bertolt Brecht's charming, slyly provocative and timeless "parable play..." seems timelier than ever in Woman's Will's free summer production in Bay Area parks.

It's not just the nation's harsh economic realities that make director Erin Merritt's smart (but scarcely updated) adaptation so immediate. The daily revelations of corporate and government malfeasance contribute to its impact....

El Beh pulls off the double (title) role with engaging skill, shifting from the sweet, insecure Shen Te to her tough, manipulative persona as Shui Ta. Maryssa Wanlass is very good as the opportunistic Yang Sun. She and Holly Chou, as the down-and-out narrator, handle Brecht's songs particularly well (spare, tuneful a cappella melodies by Rona Siddiqui).

(Merritt's) adaptation is true to Brecht's genius... her "Good Person" is well worth whatever contribution you feel moved to drop in an actor's hat.

Pat Craig's Contra Costa Times/Oakland Tribune review

There is a charming informality to performances by Oakland's all-female traveling troupe, Woman's Will, which makes attending their shows a lot of fun.

The show was adapted and directed by Erin Merritt, but it retains the Brechtian stylistic touches and excesses... Those excesses... are small in comparison to the Brecht wit and the biting and hilarious scenes...

The real strength of the show, however, is in the performers, most of whom play several roles and, with director Merritt, take a gleefully theatrical approach to the production. El Beh offers great contrast in her two roles; the three gods (Susan Jackson, Molly Nicholas and Lisa Patten) bumble through their mission in a goofy and quite ungodly way; Maryssa Wanlass, as Yan Sun, Shen Te's not completely above-board suitor, creates a memorably slippery character; and Klahr Thorsen, plays delightful counterpoint as Yang Sun's pushy mother.

Members of the Press can download print-quality photos from our password-protected press page.

All photos by Erin Merritt, except where noted.