The Zoo Story by Edward Albee

Exact Resemblance is bringing Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story to Studio 16 this October. Written in 1958, the one-act play launched the career of the three-time Pulitzer Prize-winner with a fierce critique of social disconnection. More than six decades later, its portrait of inequality, eroded empathy, and the desperate need to be heard remains uncannily relevant in an age of vanishing public spaces and fractured human interaction.

Set on a park bench in New York’s Central Park, The Zoo Story follows an encounter between Peter, a comfortable publishing executive, and Jerry, a disheveled outsider desperate to make a human connection. What begins as a seemingly casual conversation spirals into a gripping confrontation. Comic, unsettling, and ultimately tragic, their interaction forces both men, and the audience, to confront the fragility of civility and the violence lurking beneath the surface of everyday life.

“Albee himself described The Zoo Story as both a provocation and an invitation,” says director Cristiana Ripeanu. “It’s a hilarious and heartbreaking human confrontation – full of laugh-out-loud moments but ultimately compelling audiences to reflect on their own lives. For me, the play has an added urgency in today’s consumerist society, where artists are fighting an existential battle against materialism, the mindless churn of social media and commercial television.

In an exciting twist, actors Jacob Machin and Michael Briganti will alternate their roles each performance, offering audiences a chance to experience the story from different angles, ultimately shedding new light on Albee’s probing questions about power, privilege, and vulnerability.

Come for the comedy. Stay for the confrontation. Return to see the other side.

Performances run October 16 - 26 at Studio 16 (1555 West 7th Ave, Vancouver). Seating is limited. Tickets are available on www.exactresemblance.com .