UTILITY: A Play Directed by Georgette Verdin

Amber is doing everything she can to keep her head above water, but no matter how hard she tries it never seems to be enough. Money is tight, her marriage is in turmoil, and she’s juggling two jobs just to make ends meet. As she struggles to plan her eight-year-old daughter’s birthday party, Amber must stay strong as she feels increasingly invisible in her own life. Meticulous and heartbreaking, Utility offers an empathic glimpse into America’s’ working poor. Winner of the 2016 Yale Drama Series Prize.

Transcript

Cesar G.: 0:00

ViaStage interviews artists producing the most thought provoking work on stage. Today we're talking about the play UTILITY, which can be seen at Rivendelle Theatre in Chicago through May 4th. In the play UTILITY, Amber is doing everything she can to keep her head above water. But no matter how hard she tries, it never seems to be enough. Money is tight. Her marriage is in turmoil and she's juggling two jobs just to make ends meet. As she struggles to plan her eight year old daughter's birthday party, Amber must stay strong as she feels increasingly invisible in her own life. What does the play UTILITY have to do with the world we live in today? Let's ask director Georgette Verdin. Could you share with us some ways that you think UTILITY is topical and today's sociopolitical climate?

Georgette V.: 0:54

You know, what I love is that UTILITY, it's not a play about being poor, but obviously economic hardship is, is a container that the play lives in. Um, and uh, you know, uh, the play is actually about Amber grappling with this lost sense of self. Um, and I think what the play does really beautifully, uh, is remind us of our shared humanity despite circumstantial differences, which I think is really poignant for right now given the sort of divisiveness in our country, uh, in the ways in which we all feel so divided. So I think it's important to, to do art that reminds us that we make progress when we acknowledge that we're far more similar than we are different. Uh, and I think that UTILITY really does that.

Cesar G.: 1:47

In terms of how people can be more empathetic, is that just kind of a, a sentiment that audiences can walk away with or do you think action can be taken?

Georgette V.: 1:59

Yeah. No, I do, I do think that action can be taken. And I think it's, I think it's remembering to stay open to people and to be curious about people who are different than us. Right? That we, you know, one putting ourselves in places, even if it just starts at the theater, you know, where we're, we might be seeing a story of someone who is, who is living a different lifestyle than we are. Um, but I think it's important that we seek out opportunities, um, to, uh, to be around people who, who are different from us and that we get that we get curious about them and that we, that we learned about them cause they can, I think that all comes back to that notion that, you know, if you do that, you're going to recognize what the similarities are, you know, and if those are going to be undeniable. Um, and so I think, I think that's really important that, that we don't just sort of say, oh, you know, that was, that was a nice play. You know, what that we allow it to be a reminder that, um, you know, that we do have a responsibility. We have a responsibility to make connections, um, and sort of bridge gaps where we can, um, and, and try and put ourselves, put ourselves in other types of experiences. Um, so that, that's what I would hope. That's what I would hope for audiences is that they, you know, and I think it, I think it's very, you know, um, I think there will be people who see this play and think that these characters might be Trump supporters. Um, which I think is, you know, it's interesting, um, I personally, um, I think that these characters are, um, probably not voters at all. Um, but, but I think, but I think that that, um, regardless, I think it's important that we, we need to be reaching out to marginalized communities across all cultures, um, and, uh, socioeconomic backgrounds. Because, um, that's how we make progress, you know, and we don't, we don't make progress by continuing to, uh, let the divide happen, you know? So that was part of why, you know, I think there were people who, you know, I think it's sort of questioned why UTILITY, why a family in East Texas, why is that relevant? You know, stories, we can, we can talk about. And I think it's just, you know, to me, um, at some point we, you know, even though I don't think these characters are, you know, voted for Trump necessarily, but I think we do have, we have to get curious about who are the people that did, you know, and you know, and why, and what are their stories and I know that that is really hard, um, for, for those of us on the, on the far left right now. Um, but I think it's the only way forward, honestly.

Cesar G.: 5:05

Yeah. So perhaps just being able to judge less and be curious more?

Georgette V.: 5:13

Yeah. I think that curiosity is a huge, a huge bit of it, you know, um, to stay open and, and allowing ourselves to, to not necessarily think that we have it all figured out, or to kid ourselves into thinking that we're having a conversation with the other side when we're actually not, you know, I think that's really important as well. Um, because many a times where, you know, we think we're having conversations and actually we've just not left the comfort of our own zone, you know? Um, so--

Cesar G.: 5:46

Do you think, Amber, do you think she just would really like people to, to understand what she's going through?

Georgette V.: 5:54

I do. I think, I think Amber does not feel seen by the people in the play. Um, I think that she really struggles because I don't think that she feels seen. And I think that's, um, but I, but you know, similarly, I think that there are other characters in the play as well who also don't feel seen. So I think it's, you know, a question that I've been asking myself and that we've been talking a lot at rehearsal is like what makes us feel seen, you know, as, as people. Um, and, uh, and I think that's a really important question. And I think that, I think that what Amber comes to learn at some point is that, um, is that also maybe she's looking for a very specific thing and that maybe people are seeing her, but then not necessarily seeing her in the way that she would prefer them to see her. You know, it's, you know what I mean? Yeah. That's that there's this sense of, um, maybe you know, that we tell ourselves stories about people in the way that they respond to us. And we're not always right about those stories that we have of, of other people.

Cesar G.: 7:08

Can you share with us what age group she's in?

Georgette V.: 7:10

Yeah. So, um, Amber is uh 31. Yes. Yeah so she's 31, um, you know, fairly, fairly young, but she's got three kids, you know, uh, two jobs, you know, and, and, and you can just tell like, throughout the play, you can tell, you can tell. I mean, she's got an incredible amount of inner strength, um, and, and sort of resolve, but, but also she's tired. You know, I think she's really, really tired and she's having to sort of tap into these like inner reserves to be able to sort of, um, you know, do what she needs to do. Um, so that's, that's a bit of the, of the, the journey as well as just, you know, sort of watching, you know, we get the place takes place over a few days. So, uh, we, one of the, another really lovely thinking about the writing is that, um, you know, we really get to sit and see what a day in this life is like, so we'll have, you know, um, one day develop over several scenes, you know, and, and, and that really makes it feel very lived in, and we can really feel like the, the length of these days for someone like Amber, um, and just how much it takes out of her, you know.

Cesar G.: 8:39

But would you say that Amber was once upon a time, much happier?

Georgette V.: 8:46

Yeah. I mean, I think she thinks so. I mean, I think that, um, you know, she's very quick-witted and she's got a great sense of, and I think that, um, I think that she feels like she's lost some of her, um, you know, her, her firiness. Um, and I think, I think it's clear to the, I think it's clear that it's still there, it's just sort of caked over a little bit with exhaustion. Um, but, um, but yeah, I think, you know, I think that that is definitely, uh, that she's she's feeling like, who am I, you know, that she's feeling a bit of a stranger to herself, you know, and that this isn't necessarily the life that she thought she would be leading. Um, and uh, you know, so yeah.

Cesar G.: 9:41

Yeah. Well that in itself is something that I think the majority of Americans can relate to to some extent.

Georgette V.: 9:48

Absolutely. Yeah. Things don't go as you, you know, when, when you're young and you're, you know, you have dreams and you have all of these aspirations and then life starts to happen and you kind of wonder, how did I get here? You know?

Cesar G.: 10:07

But at the same time, she's only 31, so she has plenty of life to live--

Georgette V.: 10:12

For sure. And I think that this is, um, I think it is a hopeful play. I think there's a lot of hope in the play, and even though we don't see any massive, um, you know, grand scale changes, um, I think that we start to see the beginnings of some shifts that might lead to something down the line.

Cesar G.: 10:38

This is Cesar Gonzales podcasting for ViaStage. Visit ViaStage.com to see local listings of live shows posted by artists, producers, and venues in your area.