Argument

Living on his uncle's Louisianan estate, aspiring writer Anthony Woodward struggles for recognition, trying to write about male companionships in all of its varieties like his idol Walt Whitman did a century before him. His muse, local boy Archibald, who dreams of becoming famous, sees a chance to escape when Anthony's mother, Hollywood actress Rose Woodward, visits the estate with her new beau and renowned casting agent Gregory Scott. A story about how far we're willing to go in our strive for success, love, and acceptance.

‘Calamus’ brings Anton Chekhov’s classic ‘The Seagull’ (1896) together with the beauty of Walt Whitman’s ‘Calamus’ poems, which appeared in his famous collection ‘Leaves of Grass’. The ‘Calamus’ poems celebrated male companionship in its many forms and presented us with a loving, erotic Utopia of comrades and lovers, free from oppression.

Characters

• ANTHONY WOODWARD, an aspiring writer… Ralph Remers
• ARCHIBALD FOSTER, a local boy who dreams of becoming famous… Pádraig Turley
• ROSE WOODWARD, his mother, a Hollywood actress… Anna Anning
• GREGORY SCOTT, her new beau, a renowned casting agent… Keith F. Day
• EUGENE WOODWARD… Ken Kitchen
• VIRGINIA BAUGH… Lara Coret
• MARGARET BAUGH… Shirley Blake
• ROBERT BAUGH… Hugh Mackay
• STANLEY… Robert Jan Peters

Production

• PLAYED ATHet Amsterdams Theaterhuis
• PERFORMEDApril 28, 29, 30 & May 6, 2023
• RUNNING TIME2 hours 40 minutes, with one 20-minute interval
• WRITER & ADAPTATIONRalph Remers
• DIRECTORMarcus Coenen
• ASSISTANT DIRECTORMaya Moliere
• PRODUCERRalph Remers
• PRODUCTION ASSISTANTDanny van den Berg
• PROPSShit Art
• LIGHTING DESIGNEvan Morris
• SET DESIGNHB Staging
• POSTER DESIGNStudio Maja
• PHOTOGRAPHYCristian Calderon