LaMama to Cry 'Clytemnesta's Tears,' May 17-June 3

Greece's Persona Theatre Company will bring its internationally acclaimed production of Clytemnestra's Tears, written and directed by Avra Sidiropoulou and performed by Themis Bazaka, to La Mama E.T.C. (First Floor Theater – 74 A East 4th Street) for a three-week limited Off-Broadway engagement May 17 – June 3.

"A one-woman lamentation, Clytemnestra's Tears is based on the primal myth of the House of Atreus and the archetypical female character of Clytemnestra.  In a dangerous landscape in which she quivers with desire and remembrance, Clytemnestra relives the tragic moments of her life: her daughter Iphigenia's sacrifice, the separation from her children and the murder of Agamemnon, her husband.  In an attempt to atone for her crimes in the eyes of her children, her people, the gods and ultimately the spectators, she must confront the relentless chase of the Furies.  It is in the sound of their footsteps that she recognizes and embraces her darkest fate," according to press materials.

Clytemnestra's Tears was first presented in 2001 as a staged reading in New York City with Kristin Linklater at the Donnell Library Auditorium in New York's Public Library.  The first full production was staged at the Dipylon Theater in Athens with the support of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and starring the award-winning Greek actress Themis Bazaka.  Following, a tri-lingual version of the production was presented in Istanbul, Turkey, funded by the European Union within the framework of the Micro-Project Programme for Turkish-Greek Civic Dialogue.  This production of Clytemnestra's Tears will be presented in Greek, with English super titles.

Playwright and director Avra Sidiropoulou's recent directing credits in Greece include: Small Silly Sins, an adaptation of three Raymond Carver short stories ("Experimental Stage of the National Theater of Greece," Athens); Total Eclipse by C. Carafyllis ("Experimental Stage of the National Theater of Greece," Athens); and Lunch ("Dipylon Theatre," Athens).  In 1998, she wrote and directed Sexodus at the Thirteenth Street Repertory in NYC (also performed in July 2002 in the Women's Festival Culture Project@45 Bleecker).  She is the artistic director of Persona Theater Company, a not-for-profit company.  

Born in Thessaloniki, the acclaimed Greek actress Themis Bazaka's theater credits include: Blithe Spirit; Our Town; Death and the Maiden; Ivanov; Trojan Women; Frida Kalo-Viva la Vida (at the National Opera of Greece); Miss Margarita; Don Juan; Salonica and Push-up by Roland Schimmelpfennig at Notos Theater Company, among others.  She has also perfomed extensively in film and TV. 

Clytemnestra's Tears features set design by Eva Manidaki, lighting design by Maria Cristina Fuste, costume design by Ioanna Tsami, original music score by Vanias Apergis and choreography by Margarita Mandaka.  This production is presented by La Mama ETC in association with Greece's Persona Theatre Company, under the auspices of the Hellenic Culture Organization and sponsored by the Onassis Foundation.

Founded by Avra Sidiropoulou in 2003, Persona Theatre Company aims to remain faithful to the spirit of classical texts and approach them in such a way, as to illuminate some of their still unrevealed sides, bringing them closer to today's audiences.  The company has received state subsidy by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture since its founding.

Clytemnestra's Tears will play the following schedule at La Mama E.T.C. (First Floor Theater – 74 A East 4th Street, between Bowery and 2nd Avenue): Thursday – Saturday @ 8:00 PM and Sunday @ 2:30 & 8:00 PM.  Tickets are $15 ($10 for Students & Seniors), and can be purchased online at www.lamama.org or by calling the La MaMa box office at (212) 475-7710.  Visit www.lamama.org for more information.

Photo courtesy of Persona Theatre Company