DePauw Theatre Presents Eurydice, November 19-21
November 6, 2009
November 6, 2009, Greencastle, Ind. — The pilgrimage and demise of Orpheus remains one of the most tragic, yet familiar tales in Greek mythology. But little is known of the journey of Eurydice, the beautiful wife for whom he pines. DePauw Theatre brings her unique perspective to light in a play of the same name. Penned by the celebrated playwright Sarah Ruhl, Eurydice revises the classic tale with a modern yet surreal setting, a quirky cast of characters and an insightful, inventive script. (at left: David Kunkel and Mackenzie Travers as Eurydice and Orpheus)
The second production of the 2009-10 season opens Thursday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m. in Moore Theatre of the Judson and Joyce Green Center for the Performing Arts. Performances will continue through Friday and Saturday, November 20 and 
21, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, November 22 at 2:30 p.m. (poster at right created by Andrea Hutchinson '11)
On the night of her marriage to the famed musician Orpheus, a tragic misstep sends Eurydice plummeting to the depths of the Underworld, where memories are washed away in the river of forgetfulness. There she reunites with her long-dead father and gradually awakens to a love she missed in life. Armed with his music, Orpheus bravely journeys to the gates of the underworld for his wife forcing Eurydice to choose between remaining with her father and living again with her husband.
Ruhl crafts a beautiful and harrowing commentary on love and loss in Eurydice. In a masterful balance of humor and tragedy, Ruhl's work probes important questions that are relatable to a contemporary audience: what does one say if allowed after-death conversations with a loved one? Which love trumps the other: romantic or paternal? What part does memory play in happiness?
Eurydice is also as aesthetically rich as it is heartbreaking. Eccentric, experimental visual elements -- including a raining elevator, a room of string and a toddler Hades riding a tricycle -- create an arena for theatric, imaginative discourse, one that asks the audience to suspend their sense of believability and completely invest themselves in the play's poignant message. (at left: Nikaury Roman, Trisha Himmelein and Jackie Keyes)
"There is an intimacy or truth inside Orpheus' grander epic narrative, the one that we're accustomed to. I wanted to find a way into that sense of epic that was more ordinary, more personal," Ruhl has said of her work. "Rarely does anyone look at Eurydice's experience. I always found that troubling -- she's the one who dies and takes a journey before Orpheus."
Director Gigi Jennewein Fenlon chose to produce Eurydice for several reasons. "I wanted to expose our community to the work of Sarah Ruhl, a young, emerging playwright whose work is garnering much attention, including Pulitzer Prize consideration. Her style of writing is absolutely beautiful -- so poetic and so full of imaginative 
opportunities for young actors. And the story speaks directly to the college-aged as it places Eurydice at that stage where the love for a partner is becoming as significant as the love for a parent." (right: Andrew Richardson and Mackenzie Travers as Eurydice and her father)
Tickets for Eurydice are $3 for students and $6 for adults and are available for purchase at the DePauw University Green Center for the Performing Arts box office, which is open Monday through Friday 12:30 to 4 p.m. and one hour prior to show time. Information and reservations are available by calling (765) 658-4827 or emailing greencenter@depauw.edu.
Also available for purchase are DePauw Theatre patron passes. Purchasers are entitled to five tickets for the price of four. The passes are available at both student and adult price levels. To purchase or obtain additional information, contact the Green Center box office at the contacts listed above.
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