Courtesy photos.
FLAGSTAFF — Just in time for February’s month of love, Northern Arizona University Department of Theatre presents Eurydice, a postmodern retelling of the Orpheus / Eurydice Greek myth. The production, which plays through March 1st, is written by award winning playwright, Sarah Ruhl and is based on the classic Greek myth.
Performed in the Clifford E. White Theatre on the Flagstaff campus, Eurydice tells the story of love and the loss of love as Eurydice is torn between the romantic, idealized love she has with Orpheus and the nostalgic and familial love she has with her Father.
Students are involved in all aspects of the play from acting, to stage management, to the design elements, and they are being challenged by the production. “Working on this play, students are given the opportunity to explore a postmodern, magical reimagining of a classic Greek myth. Additionally, with the incorporation of Greek masks in this production, students will learn how to build Greek masks as well as how to work with them,” says Theatre Professor and Director, Nathanael Johnson.
When asked about bringing the play to life for an audience, Johnson shared, “Ruhl employs both contemporary and Greek conventions in this play and these elements coalesce as one world flows into the other and vice versa.” To catch the audience’s eye, Johnson says, “Ruhl wrote the play to be quite spectacular, so a lot of attention will be paid not only to the storytelling but to the overall visual and aural experience.”
When asked why audiences must see this play, Johnson shared that the story will take audiences on a different journey and may not be what many audiences think as “typical”, like a kitchen sink drama, a dense classic, or a flashy musical.” Rather, he shares, “this play is simple in its plot yet theatrical in its storytelling.”
Tickets are $8 for youth and students; $12 seniors, faculty and staff, and $15 for adults. Prices listed do not include Central Ticket Office service fees, which will affect the final ticket purchase price. Get tickets at nau.edu/cto, 928.523.5661 or in person at the Central Ticket Office on the Flagstaff campus.