Proof
Study Guide
© 2005 City Lights Theater Company of San Jose
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City Lights Theater Company of San José
PROOF
Written by David Auburn
Directed by Vickie Rozell
Production Dates: September 22- October 23, 2005
I.
THE PLAY
A. Synopsis
Proof is a family drama that explores the relationship between brilliance and
madness. It centers around the character of Catherine, a young woman who has spent
years caring for her father, a once-great mathematician now stricken with mental
illness. The play opens on the eve of his funeral, as Catherine begins her struggles
with issues of responsibility, trust, and the possible inheritance of her father’s
brilliance- and madness. Her life is complicated by the arrival of her skeptical sister
the attentions of her father’s former student, as well as unexpected visits from her
deceased father. Within the context of higher mathematics, David Auburn touches on
issues to which all people can relate, and delves into the mysteries of the heart
through the presentation of a mystery of the mind.
B. Setting and Characters
The play is set at Catherine’s family home in Chicago.
The four characters in the play are:
Catherine: A bright, stubborn, passionate young woman whose future was put on hold
when her father, Robert, became ill. Catherine has a penchant for mathematics but
very little formal training, and both her abilities and her honesty are called into
question by her sister Claire and her father’s former student Hal. Catherine has a deep
sense of familial love and responsibility although her relationship with the prodigal
sister Claire is somewhat strained and her temper has a tendency to flare. She is an
extremely sensitive young woman and is both proud of her abilities as a
mathematician and afraid of their implications.
Claire: A newly engaged, highly successful young woman, Claire is the natural foil to
her younger sister Catherine. While Claire did not stay home to tend to her father
during his illness, she did support him financially, but her absence remains a source
of friction between the two. Claire worries about and cares for her younger sister, but
her skepticism and selfishness can sometimes overshadow the fact. Claire thinks she
knows what’s best for everyone and her controlling efforts greatly affect Catherine’s
life after the death of her father.
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Hal: A mathematician and former student of Robert’s, Hal enters Catherine’s life in
search of undiscovered publishable material Robert may have written during the years
of his illness. His interest in the family isn’t entirely professional, however, as it
becomes clear that he is romantically interested in Catherine. This relationship may
be more complicated than Hal expects, however, as he realizes that the home-trained
and moderately educated Catherine may be a formidable mathematician.
Robert: A brilliant man whose mathematical formulas revolutionized the world in his
youth. Robert is the father of Claire and Catherine, and the play opens after he has
died. Robert is represented onstage in Catherine’s mind and in memory as a warm
and humorous man whose illness comes as a great blow to those around him.
C. About the Playwright
Playwright David Auburn began writing while a political philosophy major at the
University of Chicago. He attended Julliard where he wrote PROOF in 2000. It was
his second full-length play, following a production of SKYSCRAPER at the
Manhattan Theater Club in 1997. PROOF received its first reading at the Manhattan
Theater Club and later moved to the Walter Kerr Theater on Broadway where it
garnered the Tony and Pulitzer prizes in 2001. Auburn has also been the recipient of
the Guggenheim Foundation Grant, Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, and Joseph
Kesselring Prize for Drama. His other plays include: SKYSCRAPER, FIFTH
PLANET, MISS YOU, and THE NEXT LIFE. As his influences Auburn cites such
sketch writers Mike Nichols and Elaine May alongside great playwrights John Guare
and David Mamet.
D. Historical Context
Proof is set in the present but the setting invokes the history of the city of Chicago
and the University of Chicago with which the characters have well-developed
relationships.
The University of Chicago is faithful to the city’s innovative and pioneering
spirit. Created in 1890 by the American Baptist Education Society and John D.
Rockefeller (who maintained that this was his best investment), University of
Chicago accepted women and minority students as a non-denominational, co-ed, nonsegregated school from the start. The most foreword-thinking people in society were
invited to teach there; a total of 78 Nobel Prize Laureates have been on the University
of Chicago staff since its creation. Catherine’s father Robert is a perfect example of
the professors that University of Chicago treasures – professors who are constantly
involved in research that places Chicago at the frontiers of mathematics, economics,
and science.
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The University of Chicago contributed to its city by raising the status of the
crumbling Hyde Park neighborhood. The University’s position in Chicago’s South
Side (on the shore of Lake Michigan) has allowed it to improve the area greatly –
Catherine and her father probably lived right in the middle of the once dangerous
Hyde Park community.
E. Production History
David Auburn's play PROOF premiered at the Manhattan Theatre Club on May 23 of
2000. This production was directed by Daniel Sullivan. The set was designed by John
Lee Beatty; the costumes were designed by Jess Goldstein; the lighting was designed
by Pat Collins, and the sound was designed by John Gromada. The production
featured the following cast:
CATHERINE….…………………………………………………… Mary-Louise Parker
CLAIRE……………………………………………………………..………Johanna Day
HAL…….………………………………………………………………….Ben Shenkman
ROBERT………………………………………………………………….Larry Bryggman
The play received its Broadway opening at the Walter Kerr Theatre on October
24, 2000. This production won the 2001 Tony Award for Best Play, as well as the
2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Auburn has adapted Proof into a film to be
released widely in late 2005.
City Lights Theater Company of San Jose’s production of Proof runs from
September 22 through October 23 of 2005. The production was directed by
Vickie Rozell. The set was designed by Ron Gasparinetti; the costumes were
designed by Holly Cornelison; lighting was designed by Brendan Bartholomew;
the sound was designed by Andy Hohenner. The production featured the
following cast:
CATHERINE…………………………………………...…………………Julianne Arnall
CLAIRE……………………………………………………………Gemma Beddo Barozzi
HAL…….……………………………………………………………………….Bill Olson
ROBERT...………………………………………………………………….Steve Lambert
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II.
A.
THE PRODUCTION
The Director at Work
Notes from director Vickie Rozell:
“What draws a director to a show is very personal. We aren’t drawn to shows just
because they win a prize (although it does make them attractive), or because it is
available, or even because someone thought we would be good for it. I have had
experiences with all of those circumstances where it looked great on the surface, but
one time through the play made it very clear that it was not for me.
“Proof, on the other hand, I knew was for me from the first moment I saw it in
New York and that feeling hasn’t changed. The play is an amazing examination of
personal relationships—father and daughter, sisters, parent and child, as well as the
commingling of professional and personal relationships—and the one thing they all
have in common: trust. No one can explain how we come to trust one another, or
how we react when we lose that trust. David Auburn has created four characters
through whom he shows an incredible number of relationships with which the
audience can identify. Even if they have avoided math, didn’t have a sister, or have
no experience with mental illness, audience members have experienced similar
feelings and faced the challenges inherent in trusting other people.
“When we go to the theatre, each of us approaches the production from our own
past. It is the job of the playwright, the cast, and staff to make the show ring true to
any audience. Proof is a priceless opportunity for us to do that. It is so beautifully
written that, during the rehearsal process, the actors, stage manager, and I continually
swapped stories about ways this play parallels our lives. The circumstances are never
the same, but the lessons and the emotions that the play asks us to access are.
“One of the more striking things about the play is the way it addresses the parentchild relationship. Between the two sisters, we are shown two very different
approaches to both how that relationship is built, and what happens as the parent ages.
It’s something we all go through and something that most of us address with varying
amounts of success. Who hasn’t griped about something they inherited from their
parents, be it physical, intellectual, or psychological? And how many of us have tried
to reject such an inheritance in the same way we sometimes reject lessons that we
aren’t yet ready to learn?
“It is through seeing such representations of events that parallel our own
experiences that we can step outside ourselves and begin to understand both our own
reactions and those of others, and it is that gift that David Auburn and Proof give us.”
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B.
The Actors at Work
What was your favorite part of working on the show?
JULIANNE:
We had lots of time to rehearse, experiment, try new things. We were able to enjoy the artistic process
without the pressure to produce a polished product in a short amount of time. Our director did a fabulous
job creating a supportive environment where it was safe to expose ourselves and fail. It is that kind of
atmosphere that fosters creativity and helped us do our best work.
GEMMA:
The script. David Auburn wrote such a beautiful script filled with real compassion. The family struggle of
Claire and Catherine was a blast. Because I have a sister in real life, it was fun to dissect the sibling
dynamic with a fine tooth comb.
STEVE:
As an actor my favorite part of working on the show is the same for every show and that is the point in
rehearsal where the blocking and the lines are fairly well established and then you begin to "work" the
scenes. You go over them repeatedly and make discoveries about the characters, their motivation and
intentions.
For this particular show I am enjoying working with the young woman playing Catherine. We have worked
together in an acting class and in fact worked on the first scene from "Proof" in class, so when the auditions
came up for the show I made sure she auditioned. She is very talented and being able to work with talented
people just helps make me a better actor.
What was the most challenging aspect of working on the show?
JULIANNE:
Keeping up my energy and concentration. Other characters I've played have had less stage time so there
were more opportunities to hang out in the green room, grab a glass of water, and regroup. Getting the
notebook to fall out of Hal's jacket on cue is a hassle. Getting my costumes on in time for the next scene is
tough. I have nightmares about showing up for the party scene with the back of my dress stuck in my
nylons with my bottom exposed to the world.
GEMMA:
The richness of the text. Every scene is filled with so many layers. It seems as though you will never find
every nook and cranny of each scene. But, it’s this challenge that also makes every scene incredibly fun to
play. Every time we run it, you find new things. But, that can also make it a bit tricky to give a consistent
performance.
STEVE:
This is a rather difficult question to answer. I guess part of it is trying to be patient. I love the show and
have always wanted to do the role of Robert, and I was finding myself getting impatient and wanting to get
to that part of rehearsal where you get to work the scenes as I mentioned above.
As for character development I think the most challenging part has been to try and portray Robert well
enough in the three scenes he has, and three very different scenes at that, so the audience will have a good
sense of who this man is.
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How did the small cast of the play affect your experience?
JULIANNE:
Favorably. I like small casts. You get to know the people better. More rehearsal time is spent developing
the characters and relationships because the director and stage manager don't have to wrestle with crowd
control issues. The more people in a show, the greater the chaos factor. Sometimes small casts aren't as
much fun because you miss out on the lively party energy that a large cast generates. This was not a
problem for us because Bill is a one man party. He has a limitless supply of stories reference everything
from Sesame Street to Shakespeare and will turn everyday objects into talking puppets with the least
provocation. Break time was never boring.
GEMMA:
I am used to large casts. The intimacy of this play was fun both on and offstage. With fewer people to get
to know, it tends to have a sense of calm that I’m not used to. More actors means more energy and with
this being just the four of us, it felt calm.
STEVE:
A small cast show is always a wonderful experience. It takes less time to feel comfortable with each other
which helps everyone fell more relaxed in the rehearsal process. This cast is made up a four very talented
and experienced people. It is a pleasure to work with them.
To which character in the show do you most relate?
JULIANNE:
Hard to say. I relate to them all. I think that is one of the reasons I wanted to work on this play. The
characters remind me of real people I've met in the course of my life. If I have to pick one it would be
Catherine I guess, because I've spent the most time thinking about her.
GEMMA:
Catherine. Funny, I believe Julie said Claire. It has been a challenge to play Claire when my heart feels
more of Catherine. I naturally have an understanding of Catherine. That was helpful in some aspects but
made it really tough in others. In my own sibling relationship, my sister and I have very similar struggles
to Claire and Catherine. In many ways, I felt like I was getting to know my real sister by playing Claire. I
have much of Catherine’s stubbornness as well as her steadfast determination to stay with the family when
the going gets tough.
STEVE:
The character I relate to most is Robert. I'm the same age and I have two college aged children, one who is
a daughter, so I can relate to the father-daughter relationship in the play very well. I have also had to deal
with a close relative who was diagnosed a classic paranoid schizophrenic. In addition my own parents are
getting on in age and they require a lot more of my attention and help than in the past. So I think you can
see that my personal experience has had some impact on the way I approach the role and the show.
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III.
A.
FOR DISCUSSION
What to Look for as You Watch the Play
1. Which moments of the play are memorable to you? Which ones pulled you in with
their comedy? With their drama?
2. How do the design elements (set, lighting, costume, props and sound) contribute to
your understanding of the play? What other choices could have been made for the
design of the show, and how would that have made the experience different?
3. Consider the small cast of the play. How does the use of only four characters (and
usually only two on stage at the same time) affect your understanding of Auburn’s
message in PROOF? Does the small cast create an intimacy in which you are able to
understand each character better, or does it take away from the play’s themes?
4. Follow Catherine’s progression throughout the play, as she struggles with the
characters and herself. How does the actress playing Catherine make her inner
conflicts, her worries about her own sanity, and her grief over her father’s death
apparent?
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B.
Quiz
1. How is the day on which the play begins significant to Catherine?
2. What does Robert have for Catherine?
3. What is Robert’s advice for Catherine?
4. How old was Robert when he got sick?
5. Of what did Robert die?
6. What was Hal doing in Catherine’s house in the middle of the night?
7. Where does Hal invite Catherine?
8. How does Hal feel about Catherine’s father?
9. Of what does Catherine suspect Hal?
10. How does Catherine describe her father during his insanity?
11. What was Hal going to do with the notebook that Catherine finds in his coat?
12. Why does Claire refuse to believe Catherine about Hal?
13. What do Catherine and Hal say about the funeral?
14. Who is Catherine’s role model?
15. What does Claire reveal she is doing with the house and why?
16. What does Hal find in Robert’s desk (using Catherine’s key)?
17. In Catherine’s flashback, what does Robert say he enjoys at this time of the year?
18. What does Catherine attempt to do at the end of her argument with Hal and Claire?
19. In her flashback, what does Catherine see in Robert’s notebook when she visits him?
20. How does Catherine treat Claire when she talks about Catherine’s life in New York?
21. What does Claire believe Catherine can’t do?
22. What does Catherine say writing the proof was like?
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C.
Quiz Answers
1. How is the day on which the play begins significant to Catherine?
It is her twenty-fifth birthday.
2. What does Robert have for Catherine? Bad champagne.
3. What is Robert’s advice for Catherine? Do some mathematics.
4. How old was Robert when he got sick? Twenty-three or twenty-four years old.
5. Of what did Robert die? Heart failure.
6. What was Hal doing in Catherine’s house in the middle of the night?
Searching her father’s papers.
7. Where does Hal invite Catherine? To a bar where his band is playing.
8. How does Hal feel about Catherine’s father? He loves him.
9. Of what does Catherine suspect Hal? Stealing one of Robert’s notebooks to pass the
work off as his own and “write his own ticket to any math department in the
country”.
10. How does Catherine describe her father during his insanity? She says he was smelly,
filthy, looked like a ghost, and believed that aliens were sending him messages
through the Dewey decimal numbers on library books.
11. What was Hal going to do with the notebook that Catherine finds in his coat?
He was going to wrap it and give it to Catherine for her birthday.
12. Why does Claire refuse to believe Catherine about Hal?
She thinks Catherine went crazy.
13. What do Catherine and Hal say about the funeral? They say it went well, that lots of
people came and that Hal’s band was moving in its performance of “imaginary
number”.
14. Who is Catherine’s role model? Sophie Germain, one of the few female
mathematicians who worked with prime numbers.
15. What does Claire reveal she is doing with the house and why?
She is selling it because she believes that it is of no use to them anymore, and that
Catherine should come live with her in New York.
16. What does Hal find in Robert’s desk (using Catherine’s key)?
A revolutionary mathematical proof that Catherine claims to have written.
17. In Catherine’s flashback, what does Robert say he enjoys at this time of the year?
Watching life on the campus as students prepare for the start of the school year.
18. What does Catherine attempt to do at the end of her argument with Hal and Claire?
She tries to rip the notebook apart.
19. In her flashback, what does Catherine see in Robert’s notebook when she visits him?
Gibberish.
20. How does Catherine treat Claire when she talks about Catherine’s life in New York?
She is extremely sarcastic; she mocks and laughs at Claire.
21. What does Claire believe Catherine can’t do? Take care of herself.
22. What does Catherine say writing the proof was like? Connecting the dots.
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D.
Study Questions
1.
Critics disagree about the effectiveness of the mathematical context of Auburn’s
PROOF: some believe that it is an important aspect of the drama whereas others claim
that mentions of higher mathematics are inadequate and take away from the effect of the
play. In your opinion, how are the mathematical references, and the fact that three of the
four characters in the drama are mathematicians, significant in the story? How do they
flesh out the characters and create a context for the drama?
2.
What is the message of PROOF, and in what ways do the characters convey
Auburn’s themes in the play?
3.
How do the flashbacks illustrate Catherine’s personality, as well as the
personalities of other characters in PROOF? Do they interrupt the flow of the story or
add to the characterization of Robert, Catherine, Claire, and Hal?
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E.
Further Reading
Auburn, David. Fifth Planet and Other Plays. Dramatist’s Play Service, 2002.
Auburn, David. The Journals of Mihail Sebastian. Dramatist’s Play Service, 2004.
Auburn, David. Proof. Faber and Faber, 2001.
Grossman, James R. (Ed.) The Encyclopedia of Chicago. University of Chicago Press,
2004.
Hoffman, Paul. The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdos and the
Search for Mathematical Truth. Hyperion, 1999.
Kanigel, Robert. The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan.
Washington Square Press, 1991.
Monroe, Russell R. Creative Brainstorms: The Relationship Between Madness and
Genius. Irvington Publishers, 1992.
Nasar, Sylvia. A Beautiful Mind: The Life of Mathematical Genius and Nobel Laureate
John Nash. Simon and Schuster, 2001.
Pickover, Clifford A. Strange Brains and Genius: The Secret Lives of Eccentric Scientists
and Madmen. Harper Perennial, 1999.
Rothenberg, Albert. Creativity and Madness: New Findings and Old Stereotypes. The
Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994.
Shils, Edward. Remembering the University of Chicago: Teachers, Scientists, and
Scholars. University of Chicago Press, 1991.
Ward, F. Champion. The Idea and Practice of General Education: An Account of the
College of the University of Chicago. University of Chicago Press, 1992.
Wells, David. Prime Numbers: The Most Mysterious Figures in Math. Wiley, 2005.
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