Columbia Stages to Present Anne Carson's Translation of Euripides' ALKESTIS

Columbia Stages presents Inés Braun's (Columbia MFA Directing Candidate 2017) production of Alkestis.

King Admetos has been given the chance to avoid death, but it comes at the price of his wife Alkestis' life. As Alkestis journeys to the Underworld, Admetos descends into his own personal hell of grief and self-loathing. The play's Chorus, using music, art and storytelling and aided by the heroically disruptive Herakles, attempts to turn both tragic descents into journeys of self-discovery and redemption, to bring about healing and, perhaps, resurrection.

Alkestis features James Beaman*, Jordan Bellow*, Erin Capistrano, Alex Marz*, Jessie Mahon, Kristin Parker*, Violet Prete, Neil Redfield, Maya Ruth, Sophie Sorensen, and Jaine Ye.

The Alkestis creative team includes Producer/GM Kaori Takada, Production Stage Manager Daniel Vaughn, Composer David Cieri, Dramaturg Erin Capistrano, Movement Director Allan Washington, Scenic Designer Perrine Villemur, Lighting Designer Reza Behjat, Costume Designer Nina Vartanian, Company Manager Paloma Estévez A., Assistant Stage Managers Alison R. Simone and Morgan Leigh Beach*, and Asst. Costume Designer Megan Rutherford.

Alkestis will run for a strictly limited engagement at The Connelly Theater at 220 East 4th Street. Performances are February 15-18 at 8 pm, with a 2 pm matinee Saturday, February 18. Tickets are $15 General Admission, $5 Seniors or free with any student ID. Tickets: $15/ $5 Seniors/ FREE with Student ID (enter code: "STUDENT"). Ticketing information at columbiastages.org/tickets.html.

Inés Braun is a theatre and film director from Buenos Aires. Her feature film La Ronda was selected to participate in Berlin and Shanghai International Film Festivals, amongst others. She moved to New York in 2014 and since then theatre became her home. Her directing credits include Ivanov, Eurydice, and Trial by Fire, an ensemble-devised piece about Joan of Arc and Brecht's female collaborators. Inés is interested in staging stories about passionate women who struggle with their own ghosts and their roles society demands them to fulfill. She recently worked with RoBert Woodruff and Martha Clarke.

Columbia Stages is the producing arm of the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University School of the Arts. Columbia Stages presents annually a season of graduate actor and director productions as well as a festival of new plays by emerging playwrights. The Theatre Program at the School of the Arts offers MFA degrees in: Acting, Directing, Playwriting, Dramaturgy, Stage Management, and Theatre Management & Producing. For more information about the Theatre Program visit arts.columbia.edu/theatre.

* Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.