Rogue Theater presents "Rogue’s Oresteia," which links the origins of theater to the present with full productions of Euripides’ "Iphigenia at Aulis," Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s "Elektra," and Charles Mee’s "Orestes 2.0," running in repertory. "Iphigenia at Aulis" is a prequel to Aeschylus’ original Oresteia, telling the story of a power-hungry Agamemnon’s struggle with a prophecy that says he must sacrifice his oldest daughter to bring the winds which will allow the Greek fleet to sail to Troy. It’s classical Greek Tragedy in Euripides’ inimitable style — no heroes, just flawed humans with very human motives, in a new translation by director Kerstin Broockmann.
"Elektra" picks up seven years after Aeschylus’ "Agamemnon," wherein the patriarch was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover. In this show, it’s a household in pieces — a mother is so wracked with guilt that she’s hardly slept in seven years; daughter Elektra spends every waking moment plotting her mother’s murder; and younger daughter Chrysothemis wants to leave the bloody past behind and escape. The German expressionism piece "Elektra" will be presented in an original translation/ adaptation by director Stephen Fedo.
The trilogy closes with Charles Mee’s "Orestes 2.0," an ironic American take on the aftermath of the Atreian family slaughters. In "Orestes 2.0" Mee blends humor and atrocity to paint a disturbing picture of a family gone as wrong as possible, linking the story in nightmare fashion to serial killers, political scandal, terrorism and war. The shows can be seen individually or as a package. "Iphigenia at Aulis" runs 90 minutes; "Elektra" runs 60 minutes; and "Orestes 2.0" runs 90 minutes.
Performances take place July 24 – Aug. 28 at the Athenaeum Theater, First Floor Studio, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Call (773) 935-6860.
Trilogy Opening Night is July 24 at 2 p.m., and Trilogy Closing Weekend is Aug. 27 at 7 p.m., and Aug. 28 at 2 p.m.
See "Iphigenia at Aulis" - July 31, Aug. 7, 14, 21 at 2 p.m.; July 29, 30, Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. See "Elektra" - July 31, Aug. 7, 14, 21 at 4 p.m.; Aug. 6, 12, 13 at 8 p.m. See "Orestes 2.0" - July 31, Aug. 7, 14, 21 at 7 p.m.; Aug. 19, 20, 26 at 8 p.m.
Call Ticketmaster at (312) 902-1500, or buy tickets at the Athenaeum Box Office: $15 per single performance (students/seniors $12 with ID), $30 for all three shows.
For the Opening Night Trilogy, $50 includes dinner at Chicago Pizza. The Closing Weekend Trilogy is $30. No individual show tickets are available for Opening Night or Closing Weekend Trilogies.The mission of Rogue Theater is to produce quality, gender-balanced shows about rogues, rebels, misfits and outcasts. Visit www.roguetheater.com. |
