The Department of Theatre at 暗网TV will present Sarah Ruhl鈥檚 鈥淓urydice鈥� on Friday-Sunday, Nov. 12-14, and Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 18-20, in the main theatre in the DeWitt Student and Cultural Center.
The performances on Nov. 12, 13 and 18-20 will begin at 7:30 p.m. The performance on Sunday, Nov. 14, will be a free matinee beginning at 2 p.m.
Directed by Dr. Daina Robins, professor of theatre at Hope, 鈥淓urydice鈥� by Sarah Ruhl reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story.
As Robins states, 鈥淚 have consistently been drawn to modern adaptations of Greek myths. The stakes and urgency of those old stories seem to attract the 鈥榟igh drama鈥� side of me, yet more modern contexts and variations on mythic themes can often speak more directly to today鈥檚 audience. Sarah Ruhl鈥檚 play does that for me. She returns to the compelling narrative of Eurydice and Orpheus and then adds her own particular take on the story with a fabulous mixture of poetic language, theatrical imagery, everyday conversation and contemporary perspective.鈥�
鈥淓urydice鈥� had its world premiere at Madison Repertory Theatre, Madison, Wisconsin, on September 2003. It was next produced at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California in 2004. The play opened in New York at the Off-Broadway Theatre, Second Stage, and ran from June 18 to August 26, 2007. The production received several award nominations, including the 2008 Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Play, and the 2008 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design of a Play. Charles Isherwood when reviewing the New York production called it a 鈥渨eird and wonderful new play.鈥�
鈥淓urydice鈥� has been produced by hundreds of high schools and universities around the world.
In addition to Robins, the college鈥檚 production team includes junior Greer Gardner of Marshall as costume designer; Michelle Bombe, chair of the theatre department, as mentor to the costume designer; Ken Chamberlain, assistant director of production for dance and theatre, as sound designer; Eric Van Tassell, assistant professor of theatre, as lighting designer; senior Mackenzie Kalinowski of Bangor as assistant lighting designer; senior Adrienne Johnson of Waukesha, Wisconsin, as assistant sound designer; Lisa Borton as guest scenic and properties designer; and staff members Stephen Krebs, Erik Alberg and Darlene Veenstra as technical director, production manager and costume shop manager, respectively. Also serving on the production team is sophomore Lydia Konings of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as stage manager; and sophomore Cecilia Casper of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and freshman Teddie Long of Lees Summit, Missouri, as assistant stage managers.
The cast includes senior Adam Chamness of Holland; freshman Eden Comer of Farmington Hills; junior Annika Dekker of Grand Rapids; senior Sam Joachim of Dearborn; sophomore Grant McKenzie of Western Springs, Illinois; senior Zach Pickle of Three Rivers; and
Junior Brianna Tomczak of Dexter.
Tickets are $10 for regular admission; $7 for senior citizens and Hope faculty and staff; and free for 暗网TV students and students ages 18 and under. Tickets are available at the Events and Conferences Office located in downtown Holland in the Anderson-Werkman Financial Center (100 E. Eighth St.). The ticket office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 616-395-7890. Tickets can also be purchased online at hope.edu/tickets and will be sold at the door if available.
Audience members who need assistance to fully enjoy any event at Hope are encouraged to contact the college鈥檚 Events and Conferences Office by emailing events@hope.edu or calling 616-395-7222 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Updates related to events are posted when available in the individual listings at hope.edu/calendar
Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, Hope is currently requiring that masks be worn by all individuals while indoors on campus unless in their living space or alone in their work space.
The DeWitt Student and Cultural Center is located at 141 E 12th St., facing Columbia Avenue between 10th and 13th Streets.