The Artistic Home To Stage Sarah Ruhl's EURYDICE At The Den Theatre

The Artistic Home will return from its "pandemic pause" with a production of Sarah Ruhl's EURYDICE, to be performed at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Avenue.

Artistic Director Kathy Scambiatterra will direct Ruhl's version of the ancient myth, which differs from the many previous dramatic treatments of the story in that she tells it from the perspective of Eurydice rather than Orpheus. 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.

The opening is Thursday, October 28 at 7:30 pm, following previews on Saturday, October 23 at 7:30 pm, Sunday, October 24 at 3 pm, and Wednesday, October 27 at 7:30 pm. The production will then play Thursdays through Sundays through November 21, 2021.

EURYDICE had its world premiere at Madison Repertory Theatre, Madison, Wisconsin in 2003, and following high profile productions at Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Yale Repertory Theatre, it opened off Broadway at the Second Stage Theatre in 2007 and at the Young Vic in London in 2010. Scambiatterra explains some of the reasons the company chose EURYDICE for their first full production after the pandemic. "EURYDICE is that reach back, that looking back one more time to hold on to what we've lost; to commemorate wonderful, beautiful life, its pleasures and problems, its transience and pain so that we can triumph over the experience of this pandemic and do it together in a shared theatrical experience full of poetic beauty and much-needed humor."

Appearing in the title role for The Artistic Home will be Karla Corona, an Artistic Home company member who was seen in the company's World Premiere of VANYA ON THE PLAINS in 2019. Her father will be played by Javier Carmona, seen pre-pandemic in Aston Rep's THE CROWD YOU'RE IN WITH. Cast as Orpheus is Steven Cooper, who was assistant director of the company's acclaimed production of WEDDING BAND. Playing the "Nasty Interesting Man" will be Todd Wojcik, a company member who appeared as Army in The Artistic Home's Jeff Award-winning REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT. The chorus of "stones" will be Will Casey (most recently of the Windy City Playhouse hit NOISES OFF) as Big Stone, Alexander McRae (of PrideArts' HOLDING THE MAN) as Loud Stone, and Ariana Lopez (of VANYA ON THE PLAINS) as Little Stone.

The production team includes Kevin Hagan (Scenic and Lighting Design), Zachery Wagner (Costume Design), Petter Wahlback (Sound Design), Randy Rozler (Properties Design), Julian Hester (Assistant Director), and Jac Pytlik (Stage Manager).

Ticket prices for EURYDICE are $34 general ; $15 student; $15 preview. and will be on sale soon through The Den Theatre Box Office. The Artistic Home performs at The Den Theatre, and also maintains an acting studio and rehearsal space at 3054 N. Milwaukee Avenue in the Avondale/Logan neighborhood.

Tickets available soon at www.thedentheatre.com, or by phone at 773-697-3830
More information at www.theartistichome.org

Whisked down to the underworld on her wedding day, Eurydice tries to make sense of her memories and her passions, and poignantly reconnects with her long-dead father, even as her heartbroken groom seeks to wrench her back into the life she left behind. Ruhl's atmospheric play combines off-kilter, playful comedy with a wistful yearning for meaning and human connection. THE NEW YORK TIMES' Charles Isherwood, in reviewing the play's 2007 production at New York's Second Stage Theatre, called it "a weird and wonderful new play."

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