MEDEA Comes to Beckmann Theater, 11/8-17

Euripides' Medea can be seen through so many lenses - sexism, immigration, prejudice, racism, questions of loyalty to those who sacrifice so much - with a list that goes on and on. In a new modern dress production of this classic Greek drama, Noel MacDuffie's production - unlike many traditional productions - acknowledges each issue in its place, allowing the play to shine through, giving audiences the opportunity to discover what resonates for them.

[Medea: A Modern Dress Production] Opening on November 8th and playing in the Beckmann Theater, audiences will experience Medea's multi-ethnic cast living this work in an intimate and immediate setting, perfectly suited to the modern adaptation presented by MacDuffie's cast.

This translation, written by Bridget Durkin and Mark Buchan (with additional material by Hila Ben Gera and Robin MacDuffie), was selected to remove the barrier of archaic language from this stunningly contemporary classic. Without the restraints of the archaic language, the show opened itself up to modern dress - which then spawned the idea of adding contemporary folk/rock music and modern dance to replace the music and dance of the Greek Tragedy form. Then additional scenes were added to provide a glimpse into Jason and Medea's passionate and bloody backstory.

The music and dance serve a dual purpose. The music clearly presents the ideas of the choral odes and the dance captures the emotions of Medea's plight. Director/Producer/Choreographer Noel MacDuffie draws on his 25 years of experience choreographing modern dance and his 15-year professional relationship with composer John LaSala to craft a unique emotional journey using sound, movement and story telling.

Medea opens on November 8th at 8:00 p.m. Performances continue on November 9th and 10th, and the following weekend on November 14th, 15th and 16th also at 8:00 p.m. The final performance will be on Sunday, November 17th at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased at medea.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 800-838-3006.

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