October 23, 2020
Linda Blaser
Chloe Johnston, Vic Wynter ’17 unite in nationally reviewed online show
Chloe Johnston (left) and Vic Wynter ’17
A new show that Associate Professor of Theater and Performance Studies Chloe Johnston co-wrote and Vic Wynter ’17 performed in has been receiving national attention since it opened on October 13.
The pay-per-view performance, “45 Plays for America’s First Ladies,” surveys the lives of the daughters, granddaughters, nieces, daughters-in-law—and wives—who have served as first lady, from Martha Washington to Melania Trump.
“This show is the culmination of a project that began in 2002 with ‘43 Plays for 43 Presidents,’” Johnston said. “Over the years, we’ve been so lucky to go deeper into American history to tell the less familiar stories. This project was especially exciting because we got to work with brilliant young artists, like Vic, who are taking the art form to new levels.”
Wynter worked on an early interpretation of the project a couple of years ago. “The writers of the show had since developed ‘45 Plays’ further and, since they liked working with me before, reached out to gauge my interest in this iteration,” Wynter said. “I was excited about the opportunity to work with them again and with the other talented artists and performers involved. Creating in the time of Covid has been a wild and fun ride.”
Produced by The Neo-Futurist Theater in Chicago, “45 Plays” is available on demand for $15 through November 2. This show is a companion piece to Neo’s “43 Plays for 43 Presidents” from 2004 and “44 Plays for 44 Presidents” from 2012.
In its first few days, The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Sun Times reviewed the group’s latest effort.
“In less than 90 minutes, the Neos unspool 45 adroit and highly original little films,” Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones wrote, further describing the performances as “consistently creative, inventive and admirably avoidant of the predictable.”