Redhouse Art Center’s show ‘God of Carnage’ examines relationships, parenting

Redhouse Arts Center will present its final weekend of the Tony Award-winning play, “God of Carnage,” Thursday through Sunday.

This 90-minute comedy brings together two couples to discuss a fight that their sons had on a playground that resulted in one child having two broken teeth. As the night unfolds, so too do the parents true thoughts and feelings about one another. By the end, they find themselves acting just as immature as their children.

“People can only wear this polite, social norm facade in this play for so long,” said Josie DiVincenzo, who plays Veronica. “Someone at one point or another is throwing in a wrench that only complicates the matter further.”

Following his Redhouse directorial debut of “Rent,” Redhouse artistic director Hunter Foster is leading the cast and crew of “God of Carnage.” Jennifer Cody, the Broadway veteran starring Annette and Foster’s wife, said that the play isn’t only about parenting. Only a fraction of the dialogue discusses the kids — rather, it’s more about relationships with people.

“My husband and I actually had a similar situation happen with our dog at the park,” said Cody. “That’s how we’ve attributed it. If you did that to my pet, I’d be really mad, too.”

DiVincenzo and Cody play mothers with different parenting styles. Veronica is the epitome of a helicopter parent while Annette is a workaholic, who runs her home like a business. But they both said their characters come to the same conclusion — they realize they’re not the perfect parents they pretend to be.

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Cody said she believes audience members will be rooting for one character or another, like at a sporting event. They can vicariously live through the characters who are saying exactly what they’re thinking.

DiVincenzo said theater is a contact sport, especially when “carnage” is in the title. Both Cody and DiVincenzo said they’ve gotten banged up on stage during rehearsal and have the battle wounds to prove it.

“It’s not acceptable to say what you’re really thinking, then things start to devolve — you get a little alcohol in you and you get a little mad and you’re like, ‘Nope I’m going to say it now,’” said Cody of her character.

“God of Carnage” plays until Sunday at the Redhouse Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased online at theredhouse.org or by calling (315) 362-2785.