Daughter of Venus
Encyclopedia
Daughter of Venus is a play written by historian Howard Zinn
(1922-2010). The drama
, which was first published in 1985, debuted at New York's Theater for the New City
, directed by the author's son Jeff Zinn
. It was later produced at Lucille Lortel
's White Barn Theater in Westport, Connecticut
. That production, also directed by Jeff Zinn, was retitled Unsafe Distances and starred Dominic Chianese
in the role of Lendl.
Daughter of Venus is a family drama originally set in the context of the campaign for nuclear disarmament
. After the end of the Cold War, Zinn felt the play had become outdated, but his conviction that the pervasive climate of anxiety about terrorism
mirrored the concerns of earlier fears of nuclear annihilation
persuaded him to make the play more topical.
In December 2008 and January 2009, Suffolk University
and Boston Playwrights' Theatre
produced Zinn's updated version of Daughter of Venus. A Boston Globe reviewer panned the new version for "dilut[ing] the story's specificity without making it feel current," but conceded that "the play's central concerns — personal and social ethics; the balance of obligations to ourselves, our families, and our fellow citizens; the uses and abuses of political and scientific power — remain as timely as ever."
Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn was an American historian, academic, author, playwright, and social activist. Before and during his tenure as a political science professor at Boston University from 1964-88 he wrote more than 20 books, which included his best-selling and influential A People's History of the United...
(1922-2010). The drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
, which was first published in 1985, debuted at New York's Theater for the New City
Theater for the New City
Theater for the New City, founded in 1971 and known familiarly as "TNC", is one of New York City's leading Off-Off-Broadway theaters, known for radical political plays and community commitment. Productions at TNC have won 43 Obie Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama...
, directed by the author's son Jeff Zinn
Jeff Zinn
Jeff Zinn is an American director and actor. He played Danny in the off-Broadway production of Sexual Perversity in Chicago by David Mamet and Trety in The Suicide by Nikolai Erdman starring Derek Jacobi. He attended Harvard University where he studied film making among a wide range of classes...
. It was later produced at Lucille Lortel
Lucille Lortel
Lucille Lortel was an American actress and theater producer who is remembered as the namesake of an off-Broadway playhouse and theatrical award....
's White Barn Theater in Westport, Connecticut
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
. That production, also directed by Jeff Zinn, was retitled Unsafe Distances and starred Dominic Chianese
Dominic Chianese
Dominic Chianese is an American film, television and theatre actor, perhaps best known for his role as Corrado "Junior" Soprano on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Early life:...
in the role of Lendl.
Daughter of Venus is a family drama originally set in the context of the campaign for nuclear disarmament
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
. After the end of the Cold War, Zinn felt the play had become outdated, but his conviction that the pervasive climate of anxiety about terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
mirrored the concerns of earlier fears of nuclear annihilation
Mutual assured destruction
Mutual Assured Destruction, or mutually assured destruction , is a doctrine of military strategy and national security policy in which a full-scale use of high-yield weapons of mass destruction by two opposing sides would effectively result in the complete, utter and irrevocable annihilation of...
persuaded him to make the play more topical.
In December 2008 and January 2009, Suffolk University
Suffolk University
Suffolk University is a private, non-sectarian, university located in Boston, Massachusetts and with over 16,000 students it is the third largest university in Boston...
and Boston Playwrights' Theatre
Boston Playwrights' Theatre
Founded in 1981 by poet, playwright and Nobel Laureate, Derek Walcott, Boston Playwrights' Theatre is an award-winning small professional theatre dedicated to promoting the writing and production of new plays in Boston, Massachusetts....
produced Zinn's updated version of Daughter of Venus. A Boston Globe reviewer panned the new version for "dilut[ing] the story's specificity without making it feel current," but conceded that "the play's central concerns — personal and social ethics; the balance of obligations to ourselves, our families, and our fellow citizens; the uses and abuses of political and scientific power — remain as timely as ever."