PRODUCTION PHOTOS

Body Awareness

by Annie Baker

directed by Anne Kauffman

January 4, 2012 – February 5, 2012

Director Anne Kauffman, hailed by The New York Times as "one of the leading lights of downtown theater," thrilled Wilma audiences in 2010 with the smash hit Becky Shaw. She returns to Philadelphia to direct another Off-Broadway hit comedy!
Welcome to Shirley State College, Vermont where it’s Body Awareness Week. In charge of the week’s festivities, college professor Phyllis has anything but a conventional life with girlfriend Joyce and her son Jared. But when Frank Bonitatibus, a visiting artist, brings his photographs of nude women into their home, conflicting feelings over sexuality and identity get hilariously stirred up. Nominated for the Drama Desk Best New Play award, this touching comedy is fresh from Obie Award winning playwright Annie Baker (Circle Mirror Transformation, The Aliens).

Running Time:

approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes (no intermission)

Press / News

"Director Anne Kauffman immerses us in the lives of the four characters and the performances are compelling and assured."

— Review in Philadelphia Weekly

"The performances in this play are all first rate!"

— Review in STAGE Magazine

"A skillful and thoughtful production of Annie Baker's biting comedy!"

— Review in Philadelphia Magazine

"hilarity that will keep ‘em laughing!"

— Review in KYW Newsradio

"Annie Baker’s compassionate comic drama about a lesbian couple, their son Jared, who may or may not have Asperger’s syndrome, and a photographer who brings his “male gaze” to the festivities, the shallow political correctness of “checking in” leads to a much deeper excavation."

— Review in the Philadelphia Inquirer

"Truth is funny. I think if we play our roles with total sincerity, with all the sadness and despair, the audience will find it funny. Hopefully they will be able to laugh at themselves through us."

— Preview Feature in GPHILLY

“I think it’s the recognition of ourselves,” Martello added. “I think the source of the humor is that these people are struggling to figure out who they are, what life is about and how to get along with each other. I think that is a great source of humor."

— Preview Feature in the Philadelphia Gay News

“An engaging new comedy by a young playwright with a probing, understated voice…its quiet rewards steal up on you!”

— The New York Times

“5 STARS! Body Awareness is a smart, modest work…a marvelously deft and humane comedy…what a beautiful start to Annie Baker’s theatrical body of work!”

— Time Out New York