U of C production The Wolves will excite audiences with soccer tricks in a relatable and poignant play
By Hannah Caparino, October 12 2024—
To start off the drama department’s 2024–25 season, the University of Calgary’s School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) will be showcasing Sarah DeLappe’s play, The Wolves. The play premiered in New York City, and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2017. It follows a girls soccer team and each member’s journey of discovering more about themselves and the world, embodying all the familiar aspects of coming-age-stories that everyone can relate to. The director of the SCPA production, Laurel Lepine, spoke with the Gauntlet about the play’s themes and its relevance.
“I was drawn to it from the relationships and the journey of being a teenager, wanting to fit in and wanting to be chosen. And then navigating that in a world [with] questions about politics and what [you] believe, and all of those bigger questions that you start to ask just before adulthood,” said Lepine.
These themes of growth and self-discovery are present in the play’s setting of a picturesque suburbia, reflecting the character’s relatively sheltered upbringing. Lepine explains that many of the characters begin to work to better understand the world in a setting that has distorted their views. This compliments the play’s themes of growing up, acceptance and resiliency during difficult times, all of which are lessons that audiences can learn from this play.
“I hope people … can relate in some way to having gone through adolescence, and that time when we really want to connect or try to figure ourselves out and find our identity,” Lepine said. “I also think that they can see the power and resiliency of sport, and that it brings people together.”
Lepine also discussed her personal connection to the text, referring to her own daughter’s experience with soccer and witnessing the camaraderie that was shared through the sport. The process of casting the show and bringing in the crew was based on who had expressed interest in wanting to be part of the production. Despite the show being part of the SCPA, Lepine emphasized that anyone can be involved in the show and aims to highlight women within the SCPA to showcase their talent.
One appeal of the play is its ability to balance comedy and drama, as well as highlight an all-female cast who is portrayed in a realistic manner. Alongside the all-female casting, the play’s contemporary nature explores the story’s importance during a time of complex discourse.
“I think it’s a really great opportunity to see a strong ensemble group of women on stage. It’s very rare that you get to see an all-female cast, and it’s an ensemble so everyone has an equally strong role to play,” said Lepine. “On a more macroscale, women’s voices are still struggling to be heard. We’re living in a time where in some ways we’re going backwards and women need to refind their voices, and that maybe we’ve become comfortable thinking that our rights are protected, but they’re not. So I think the play is women speaking out and I think that’s important,” Lepine continued.
The journey of the characters learning to play together as one unit was something that Lepine had continued to explore when discussing how sport anchors the play, bringing together people of different backgrounds and giving them a singular mission.
“You’re able to teach them important things about the human condition through sports, and we all need to be hearing that nowadays,” she said. “It’s kind of showing that they have all different points of view, but they still play together as a team. So why can’t we?”
From proper soccer drills being performed on stage to synthetic soccer turf covering the university stage, The Wolves will electrify audiences in a comedic and thoughtful play. Students at U of C will have the opportunity to purchase tickets at a student rate, or request a free ticket either online or in-person through the SCPA’s “Claim your seat program”. Exclusions and restrictions may apply, so check the program site for more details. More information about the 2024–25 SCPA season can be found on the website, and to purchase tickets for The Wolves, click here.