Molière's AMPHITRYON Comes To Theater At Monmouth

Theater at Monmouth opens Amphitryon, adapted by Molière, as part of the It's Greek (and Roman) to ME! Season. Amphitryon is an uproarious comedy about seduction, confusion, and stolen identity. Jupiter, the king of the gods, is obsessed with a mortal woman, Alcmena. To woo her, he assumes the bodily form of her husband Amphitryon. When the real Amphitryon returns home victorious from the Theban War, he finds his conquering hero welcome has been usurped by another...him. The blend of high comedy and slapstick that follows unlocks a Pandora's box of ideas about love, marriage, and power. Will you allow yourself to be entranced by Jupiter's charm? Discover the answer Thursday, July 14 at 7:30 PM through Friday, August 19 including matinee and evening performances on both weekdays and weekends.

Though full of shenanigans slated to cause raucous laughter, Amphitryon also points his arrow at the psychology of the self. Director Carol Ann Tan asks "Who gets to define who a person really is? And is there actually an essential, objective truth to the person you actually are?" With those questions in mind, Tan says the show "wrestles with deeper questions concerning the construction of the self-questions which still feel relevant today, when social media and the like have offered us numerous opportunities to construct and reconstruct our public images." Tan's analysis doesn't stop at humans. She also explores Moliere's interpretation of the Greek gods, saying "Molière pulls no punches, indicting the gods' divine senses of superiority and entitlement as equally worthy of mockery."

Amphitryon features Erin Amlicke as Jupiter, Trezure Coles as Alcmena/Polidas, Joey Dolan as Naucrates, Rebecca Ho as Night/Argatiphontidas, Caitlin Ort as Cleanthis, Roberto Perez* as Sosia, Jamie Saunders as Mercury, and Michael Dix Thomas* as Amphitryon. Directed by Carol Ann Tan; Set Design by German Cardenas Alaminos, Lighting Design by Jen Fok, Costume Design by Michelle Handley, Sound Design by Rew Tippin, and Fight/ Intimacy/ and Movement Direction by Lorraine Slone. Stage Management by Ingrid Pierson*, Assistant Stage Management by Zane Alcorn*, Stage Management Intern Sophie Harrington.

*Members of Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

Performance dates:

Performance Calendar: PREVIEW 7/14 at 7:30 p.m.; OPENING 7/15 at 7:30 p.m.; additional performance dates 7/23, 8/3, 8/9, at 7:30 p.m., 8/7 at 7:00 p.m., 8/10, 8/14, 8/19 at 1:00 p.m.

For calendar and reservations, please contact the TAM Box Office at 207.933.9999 or visit www.theateratmonmouth.org.

 

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