Medea, by Euripides, is an ancient Greek tragedy whose first performance dates back to 431 B.C. It is one of the great plays of Western dramatic literature. The play presents one of the strongest and most provocative female characters in the entire canon.
Dr. John Galyean, ABAC's Director of Theatre and the Baldwin Players, said he is more than a little apprehensive at the prospect of staging an ancient Greek tragedy.
"I see the production as a challenge, and theatre should always be a challenge," Galyean said. "The actors, the technicians, the audience, and the director are going to get stretched on this one."
The production, as Galyean envisions it so far, will be stylized, not formally ancient in look nor modern.
"I'm looking for talented costumers who can help me execute a look I have in my mind," Galyean said. "I can sketch costume design plates, and the designers and I can either go with modified patterns or alter existing wardrobe items. I'm also considering using partial masks--masks being an integral part of original Greek theatre antiquity."
Galyean said another challenge facing the Players and himself is the fact that Howard Auditorium is being renovated.
"The Players will produce Medea in Room 319 in Conger Hall, which although large for a classroom, is quite small as a theatrical venue," Galyean said. "To present the production in Conger Hall, we're going to have to rent lighting, define onstage areas cleanly and clearly, and monitor movement patterns really well."
According to Galyean, a real strength of the play is the translation--still containing "heightened" language but modern and completely understandable--by Nicholas Rudall of Chicago's Court Theatre. An Associate Professor of Classics at the University of Chicago, Rudall has garnered acting awards for roles in Irish plays, Russian dramas, and postwar British works. He has directed at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, England, the San Diego Repertory, and at Washington DC's Arena Stage.
"Rudall is the perfect combination of academic and performer," Galyean said. "He seems like a guy who's a great blend of theory and practice--what I'm striving to be, relative to the art and craft of the theatre."
For additional information, contact Galyean on campus at (229) 386-3183. Informational packets about the play may be borrowed from Galyean, and may be obtained outside Room 208 in Conger Hall.
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