"The Heidi Chronicles" by Wendy Wasserstein

Gender difference may translate into different perspectives that come through in art, but I don’t think any given piece of art can be exactly identified as produced by a woman or man just by observation. Once the gender of the artist is known, it is easier to identify feminine or masculine characteristics in the work. For instance, Caravaggio and Gentileschi both painted the biblical scene of the beheading of Holofernes by Judith. The aggression and darkness in Gentileschi’s painting could suggest a male artist made the artwork. Additionally, Judith is delicate, wearing white and bathed in light in Caravaggio’s painting. However, when considering the gender of the artist with the painting, there is a different understanding of how the scene is portrayed. Caravaggio depicts Judith as a dainty heroine exerting minimal effort to kill Holofernes. It is suggested that she is assisted by the will of God, since she still maintains the “good” qualities of a woman such as being delicate, lovely, and serene. Judith appears stronger and forceful in the more violent painting by Gentileschi, which is likely more realistic. Gentileschi gives more power to Judith and reveals a darker struggle of women against men.

I thought the WSU performance of The Heidi Chronicles was excellent. The scenes made much more sense with the emotions and interactions of the actors and actresses. Further, it was interesting to hear about the preparation work of the theatre department for this play. Their background research into 1965-1989 really contributed to the play’s effectiveness. The use of a projector throughout the play tied the scenes together nicely. The clips, photos and music during the scene changes kept the audience focused on the play and provided transitions between the scenes, which varied widely in location and time. For post baby boomer generations, the media used in the production emphasized the ideas, conflicts, and characteristics of the different decades in the play. The use of flashbacks with the large frame on the set and the indication of snapshots was also an effective part of the production. All of the details that went into the production that were not in the original play show that a production can bring a new meaning to a play as a work of art. I felt like I knew Heidi Holland better and understood Wasserstein’s intent with the play more clearly after watching the WSU production.