Profanity plays a big role

By Milan Paurich

The show has an ‘R’ rating for strong language.

In a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly, the magazine’s editors tallied up a list of movies, TV shows, books, CDs, etc., from the past 25 years that they certified as new classics. Ranking No. 7 in the live theater category — sandwiched between August Wilson’s “Fences” and the puppet musical “Avenue Q” — was David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross.”

EW succinctly described the 1984 play as “a dizzying, immensely profane display of linguistic artistry.”

It’s the “profane” part which probably explains why no community theater in the area has dared touch “Glengarry.” Until now.

Starting Friday and running through July 26, the Youngstown Playhouse is presenting the first ever local production of Mamet’s Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play in all of its raw, unexpurgated glory. Not surprisingly, the Playhouse ads nervously caution that the show is “Rated ‘R’ for strong language.” That may be another area first. Of course, anyone who’s unprepared for Mamet’s fusillade of “f bombs” will probably want to duck for cover within the opening five minutes anyway.

One person who seems remarkably unfazed by all of the controversy surrounding the Playhouse’s “Glengarry Glen Ross” is the show’s director, 77-year-old community theater legend Joseph Scarvell. Since Scarvell’s acting and directing credits date back to the 1950s and the Youngstown Playhouse’s original Market Street location, he’s someone who’s literally seen (and heard) it all. In a recent interview, Scarvell discussed the play and why he’s excited to be involved with its local premiere.

“‘Glengarry’ reminds me of [Samuel] Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot;’ there’s one nonsequitur after another,” Scarvell said. “At first, there seems to be an absence of a storyline that takes you from one thought to the next,” he continued. “It seems to be going nowhere; nothing seems to be achieved.”

Set principally in a Chicago real estate office, “Glengarry” focuses on a group of cutthroat salesmen frantically vying for the monthly sales award (a shiny new Cadillac is the prize).

To achieve that goal, they’ll lie, cheat, bribe and steal; it’s all in a day’s work. The title refers to two of the office’s hottest properties: Glengarry Highlands and Glen Ross Farms.

“Nobody seems to know how to deal with another person in a dignified, responsible manner,” Scarvell said while describing the play’s ruthless characters.

“The first person singular is supreme.”

The unconventional nature of the script — its lack of a “throughline” — makes “Glengarry Glen Ross” a formidable challenge for both director and cast.

“The structure of most plays is to go from beat to beat; the linking of scenes to a final conclusion. There’s no such thing here,” Scarvell explained. “How do I take you from thinking about one thing to thinking about another if neither thing ‘exists’? That’s the tough part. Your first job as a director is to tell a story in an interesting manner so that the audience can follow along. But are they going to pay attention if I’m not taking them anywhere?” he asked rhetorically.

Helping make Scarvell’s job just a little easier is his seasoned company of actors, including John Holt, David El’Hatton, John Cox, Chris Fidram and John Pecano.

“I couldn’t have done this with beginners,” Scarvell stated. “They’re a fearless bunch, and there aren’t any egos in this cast. It helps create a fantastic working atmosphere,” he said, enthused.

“I’m doing very little blocking. I told them, ‘If you feel like moving, move; if it doesn’t make sense visually or thematically, I’ll give you something else to do.’ We really have eight directors in this show.”

To complement such an unorthodox play, the “Glengarry” set is highly unusual as well.

“You’re not going to see a set in the traditional sense; it’s all very stylized,” Scarvell said. “The office is not going to look like an ‘office.’ I want the set to be a metaphor for the play itself.”

“These characters are lost souls; I don’t even know if they’re human. To help convey that, we’re using a minimum of ‘stage’ lighting; it’s stark, real and almost hopeless. I don’t want people to leave the theater happy,” he said with a laugh.