For the second offering of the 2005 indoor season, the compnay took on a modern classic of absurdist theater with "Waiting for Godot. This groundbreaking play about nothing and waiting and waiting influenced a generations of playwrights and actors pokes fun at theatrical conventions.and turned them on its head. Coming in at a time when bombastic acting and unrealistic situations were the norm, the story of Vladamir and Estragon waiting for the engimatic Godot, pronounced (GOD-oh), passing the time, waxing philosophical, encountering the strange Pozzo and his sometime mute servant Lucky played and the strange boy has enthralled, intrigued, and frustrated since it was first staged. Though subject to a myriad of interpretations as to what exactly the pair are waiting for and who/what they interact with, the device has always been simple, two men who look like they've known each other all theri lives on a bare set with a single tree, pass the time. All Pictues takes at the Hackensack Cultural Arts Center, Hackensack, NJ
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Opening scene of the play, Vladimir aka Di-Di (Tony Scheinman) stares out into the empty countryside as his friend Estragon aka Go-Go (Charles J. Roby) tries desperately to remove his shoe.
Go-Go (Charles J. Roby), wanting to depart their location accuses Di-Di (Tony Scheinman) of not remembering what day it is and the time of their meeting wiht Mr. Godot.
Go-Go (Charles J. Roby) and Di-Di (Tony Scheiman) go through several different activities to pass the time waiting for Mr. Godot. After much musing on their surroundings, the time, philosophy, religion, they look at the bare tree and think to hang themselves thinking it may be something to do and give them pleasure. Above, they decide not to proceed as one of them may be killed and leave the other alone.
Di-Di and Go-Go's waiting is interrupted by the arrival of the verbose and loud Pozzo (Jonathan Levy) and his strange mute servant lucky. Pozzo declares that they are on his land but thinks about it again and mentions that the road is free for all.
The mute servant Lucky (Mary Jo Verruto), often referred to as 'Pig' holds all of Pozzo's belongings as he makes himself comfortable. Lucky never mentions a word and stares ahead as Go-Go and Di-Di take him in.
A very different Pozzo (Jonathan Levy) and Lucky arrive the next day. Instead of the loud and arrogant land owner, he is now blind and finds it very difficult to get around, while Lucky appears more mute than ever. Above, Go-Go (Charles J. Roby) and Di-Di (Tony Scheinman) hold him up as the try to figure out what is going on. Go-Go wants to steal from Pozzo but Di-Di glares at him not to. Eventually Pozzo and Lucky leave again leaving Di-Di and Go-Go to wait again.
The next day, Di-Di (Tony Scheinman) arrives to find Go-Go (Charles J. Roby) missing and after feverishly looking for him, finds that he has slept the night in a ditch and claims to have been beaten. Above, he shows Di-Di a wound but no wound is present.
At the end of each act, a boy (Kathleen Aiellos) arrives to tell the men that Mr. Godot won't be able to come tonight but tomorrow possibly. Di-Di bertes the boy for denying having seen them before. The boy leaves frightened of Di-Di and also frightened of Mr. Godot.
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As Pozzo (Jonathan Levy) has a meal, wine and enjoys a good pipe, a good deal of food is left over. Go-Go (Charles J. Roby) hungerily asks for the left over food. Pozzo indicates that he must ask Lucky as it should go to him. WIth no response from the mute, Go-Go greedily devours the food.
Di-Di chastising Pozzo for his treatment of Lucky asks if he can do anything like dance. Pozzo claims that he can think. By placing a hat on Lucky's (Mary Jo Verruto) head he begins to think muttering various phrases, then sentences, then words again. While at first the men are intrigued, they then are pushed to edge of indurance as Lucky goes on and on and getting more louder and frantic with each word. Finally the hat is removed and Lucky returns to being a mute.
