News Release
UDM Theatre presents "How I Learned To Drive"
“Sometimes to tell a secret, you first have to teach a lesson.” Paula Vogel’s award-winning drama, How I Learned To Drive, travels back and forth through time, giving the audience an in-depth look at a dysfunctional and enabling family that contains a relationship between an older man, Uncle Peck, and a much younger girl, Li’l Bit. Provocative, smart and mesmerizing, Vogel’s portrait examines a taboo subject in a startling new light, using laughter and tears as two very human reactions to life’s unexpected twists and turns. Through a series of driving instructions, the UDM Theatre Company will travel this journey in their second production of their 2008 -2009 season.
As an English professor in her late twenties, Li’l Bit (Susan Boonenberg) looks back at the lessons and values she learned growing up with a dysfunctional and enabling family in small town Maryland, and particularly the values imparted by her Uncle Peck (Andrew Huff) during weekly driving lessons. She’s drawn to her Uncle, a drinker married to her Aunt Mary (Anne Di Iorio), who shows deep interest in her education and in teaching her how to drive, while also demonstrating a little too much interest in her blooming young-adult body.
Despite the serious subject matter, How I Learned To Drive has many comic elements. Vogel’s play delicately sidesteps the expected condemnation of this situation to look at the basic humanity that binds these two characters. Li’l Bit’s feelings of insecurity lead her to turn to a flawed relationship where she can bask in the admiration of a troubled older man. Meanwhile, Uncle Peck’s sexual abuse of his young niece yields powerful and unexpected emotional consequences for him. Five actors (Cynthia Szczezny, Mary Bremer, Joel Frazee, Autumn Thiellesen, Christopher Jakob) portray all the other characters that affect their lives, including their quirky, intimidating rural Maryland family.
How I Learned To Drive is noteworthy for the many awards that Paula Vogel won for the work, including the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for drama. Its initial off-Broadway run lasted for fourteen months. In addition to the Pulitzer, the play also was awarded an Obie, a New York Drama Critics’ Award, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Circle Award and the Lucille Lortel Award. It has been produced all over the world and Vogel’s screenplay has also been developed for HBO. Her other plays include The Long Christmas Ride Home, The Mineola Twins, The Baltimore Waltz, Hot’N’Throbbing, Desdemona, And Baby Makes Seven, and The Oldest Profession.
Award-winning director David Regal will be directing How I Learned To Drive which opens on November 14 and runs three weekends through November 30. The Theatre Company’s performances are held Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the Marygrove Theatre on the campus of Marygrove College, 8425 W. McNichols Rd.
General admission is $15. Admission for senior citizens, UDM and Marygrove faculty, staff, and alumni is $13. Student admission is $9; UDM and Marygrove students pay only $5 with appropriate ID. The Theatre Company’s box office is located in Reno Hall on the campus of the University of Detroit Mercy. Hours of operation are 12:00 p.m. through 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. For tickets, call the theatre box office at 313-993-3270. For more information visit us online at theatre.udmercy.edu.
The University of Detroit Mercy’s Theatre Company wants GREAT THEATRE for you! It is not too late to take advantage of the Theatre Company’s best offer on tickets by purchasing season tickets to the remaining three shows for only $36.00, a savings of 20% off regular ticket prices. Season tickets are on sale now through November 30. UDM and Marygrove students can buy season tickets for $12: that’s three plays for $4 a performance. Student season tickets are also available for high school and other college students for the unbeatable rate of $18.00 for all four shows.
Release date: August 12, 2008
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