Denison’s Department of Theatre presents Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice, an exciting and unorthodox version of Orpheus and Eurydice’s timeless trek to the underworld. Typically one can expect to follow Orpheus down to the depths of this myth, yet Eurydice grants its audience a rare glimpse into the journey of the titular character herself.
Emily Harris ‘24, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Spanish, embodies Eurydice for this upcoming production.
“It really deconstructs the original myth and only puts it through the eyes of [Eurydice]… It’s a good way to see what it’s like to live as a woman who doesn’t necessarily know where she belongs,” Harris said.
Many variations of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice consistently name Orpheus the protagonist. After Eurydice’s premature death, the narrative strides beside Orpheus during his perilous journey to the underworld in hopes of recovering his wife. Eurydice challenges this tradition.
Having participated in theatre since her early childhood, Harris believes this show’s unique nature provides an unparalleled learning experience for student actors. “The goal is to get something educational out of it,” she said. “It’s a show where the structure is a little odd and some of it is a little odd…There’s a lot of open air between the realistic aspects of it. There’s a lot of open air to play around with your speech, the quality of the speech, and your body.”
At its very core, Eurydice is an experimental production that encourages its cast and audience to follow suit in its explorative nature.
“It’s a good opportunity to see the perspective of a woman that has been written about for centuries. It’s a really interesting new take,” Harris said. “It’s a mix of everything: it’s creepy, it’s funny at times, it’s sad, but it’s also happy, and it’ll make you want to tear up for both reasons.”
Audiences can expect a vast emotional landscape from this production with numerous unexpected twists.
In Eurydice, the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus is reimagined through the eyes of its heroine. Dying on her wedding day, Eurydice travels to the underworld where she is reunited with her father. Those in the underworld struggle to remember the world of the living, where a distraught Orpheus mourns his lost love. Playwright Sarah Ruhl weaves together music, love, death, and loss in this funny, moving, and beautiful play.
“Eurydice” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. and is Directed by Eleni Papaleonardos.
Performance Dates and Times are as follows:
- Friday, Oct. 6, at 8 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 8, at 2 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m.
