“I never said we should take our liberties for granted.”
– #11
Nine players take to the pitch. The competition is fast, creative and ruthless. And that’s before they meet the other team.
In “The Wolves,” playwright Sarah DeLappe captures the raw energy, unfiltered banter and accumulating pressure of an elite girls’ indoor soccer team.
“The social dynamics are complex,” said Annamaria Pileggi, a professor of practice in drama in WashU’s Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences, who will direct the Pulitzer-nominated show in Edison Theatre beginning Friday, Feb. 21.
“These girls are vying for power and acceptance,” Pileggi said. “As young adults, they’re also trying to develop a basic understanding of the world around them. That can be very funny. There’s a lot of humor in the ways they interact. But the play is bittersweet.
“It takes you through all the ups and downs.”
‘A pack of wolves’
Set on a simple AstroTurf field, “The Wolves” unfolds through six scenes, each taking place during pregame warmups. The players, in matching uniforms and identified only by number, execute their drills with military precision.
“These are skilled athletes,” Pileggi said. “They’re competitive. They produce at high levels. That’s how they were brought up; they don’t know any other way. But that rigor has consequences.”
Amidst the passes, dribbles, twists and kicks, the conversation roams. The players discuss hobbits and world events. They gossip and tease. They riff on body image, college recruitment, pregnancy and social anxiety. They commiserate about parents, siblings, romantic interests and, of course, injuries.
And though the players are not named, “DeLappe does a really nice job of carving out their individuality,” Pileggi said. “There’s a certain archetypal quality. Every team has the alpha, every team has the nerd, every team has someone who’s too cool for school. Their personalities are revealed by how they interact within that pressure-cooker environment.
“Towards the end of the play, a tragedy befalls the team,” Pileggi added. “I don’t want to give it away, but you see how they coalesce — and don’t coalesce — around that as a community.
“Over the last several years, women’s sports have really come into their own,” Pileggi concluded. “It’s different from men’s sports. It’s more dependent on the dynamics between players. That’s what this play shows. It shows you that social dynamic.
“It shows you how these girls become a pack of wolves.”
Cast and crew
The ensemble cast features Parker Lesher and Coco Jones as best friends #7 and #14. Ella Sherlock and Raquel Elle Brouwer are midfielders #11 and #13. Taylor Miller is #25, the defensive captain and surrogate coach.
Danielle Bryden is new girl #46. Leo Young is unlucky #2. Talia Vinson is #8, a defender who plays dumber than she is. Charlotte Bartels is the perfectionist goalie #00. Rounding out the cast is Frauke Thielecke as Soccer Mom, the show’s lone adult.
Scenic design is by Obike Anwisye. The costume designer is Dominique Green. Lighting and sound design are by Nick Cochran and Sean M. Savoie. Props are by Emily Frei. The stage manager is Marisa Daddazio, with assistance from Stella Larson. Heather Elaine Anderson is assistant director and assistant costume designer. The soccer consultant is Sara Wargo.
Tickets
Performances of “The Wolves” will take place in WashU’s Edison Theatre beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21 and 22; and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23. Performances will continue the following weekend, at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 and March 1; and at 2 p.m. March 2.
Edison Theatre is located in the Mallinckrodt Student Center, 6465 Forsyth Blvd. Tickets are $20, or $15 for seniors, students and WashU faculty and staff, and free for WashU students. Tickets are available through the WashU Box Office. For information, call 314-935-6543 or visit pad.wustl.edu.
“The Wolves” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French Inc. Show attendees will be entered to win two tickets to the upcoming St. Louis City SC game March 15 against the Seattle Sounders.
