Gallo Center Repertory Company’s newest production is John Steinbeck’s adaptation of his own brilliant novella, Of Mice and Men.
Three performances are set for this weekend, March 17-19, at 7 p.m., inside the Foster Family Theater of the Gallo Center in Modesto. There will also be a free, one-hour talkback after the Sunday, March 19 performance for all ticket holders from all the shows. Local community leaders along with creative team members and actors from the local production will discuss the play’s continuing relevance, artistic impact and historical significance.
Directed by Michael Lynch, Of Mice and Men tells the story of two displaced migrant ranch workers, George and Lennie, who move from place to place in California in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression. Delusions of living off the “fat of the land” on a future farm of their own help sustain the two, but tragedy ultimately overtakes their dreams.
Lennie is a man-child, a little boy in the body of a dangerously powerful man. It’s Lennie’s obsessions with things soft and cuddly that have made George cautious about who the gentle giant, with his brute strength, associates with. His promise to allow Lennie to “tend to the rabbits” on their future land keeps Lennie calm, amidst distractions, as the overgrown child needs constant reassurance. But when a ranch boss’ promiscuous wife is found dead in the barn with a broken neck, it’s obvious that Lennie, albeit accidentally, killed her. George, now worried about his own safety, knows exactly where Lennie has gone to hide, and he meets him there. Realizing they can’t run away anymore, George is faced with a moral question: How should he deal with Lennie before the ranchers find him and take matters into their own hands?
Of Mice and Men contains mature themes and content. The show depicts various forms of violence, including murder. Characters use profanity freely, including racist language from the original book that is considered true to the era in which the story is set. The Gallo Center consulted with leaders from the local African American community, who recommended retaining the language in the interest of historical accuracy. If you are offended by its inclusion, you may not wish to attend the play.
This production contains gunshots.
Tickets can be purchased online at: galloarts.org, or at the Ticket Office located at the Center at 1000 I Street, in downtown Modesto. Hours are: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday–Friday; noon – 6 p.m., Saturday. The Ticket Office opens two hours prior to all events. Call (209) 338-2100.