GreekFest, an evening of three modern adaptations from the Golden Age of Greek drama, and a panel discussion will kick off the 100th season of the Linfield College Theatre program.
Performances will be Friday through Sunday, Sept. 20-22, at 6 p.m.
A panel discussion, “Gore and Glory: From Ancient Greece to Modern Ideology,” will be held Monday, Sept. 16, at 4 p.m. in the Fred Meyer Lounge, located in Riley Hall. The panel previews Linfield Theatre’s GreekFest and examines the questions raised by Linfield’s adaptations of TheTrojan Women, The Eumenides and Lysistrata, including: how can the Ancient Greeks help us understand questions of war, violence, revenge and activism. The panel features representatives from six academic disciplines.
Beginning with The Trojan Women, directed and adapted by Lindsey Mantoan, audiences will experience the stories of ancient and modern women and the effects of war on their lives. This site-specific performance starts in the Marshall Theatre and then moves around the Arts Quad, stopping at Nicholson Library, Miller Fine Arts Center and Vivian Bull Music Center.
Next, the audience will witness Athens’ first trial by jury as they deliberate on the guilt of Orestes for the murder of his mother. The Eumenides, the last play in Aeschylus’ trilogy The Oresteia, was written when ancient Greece was establishing its own judicial system. Adapted and directed by Janet Gupton, the production asks audiences to participate in Orestes’ trial and consider “what counts as justice, who decides, and who bears the consequences?” This performance will take place in the Marshall Theatre.
The evening will conclude with a modern version of Aristophanes’ comedy Lysistrata, adapted by adjunct professor Douglas Soderberg ‘79 and Melory Mirashrafi ’19. Protest, gender and power in the time of war will be explored—and exploded—in this outrageous contemporary take on the classic “sex strike” play. This play will take place in the Ford Hall courtyard and contains adult content and bawdy humor.
Each act will last 45-60 minutes, with an extended intermission after The Trojan Women featuring free wine, beverages and light refreshments. Ticket prices are $15 for full price, $13 for seniors (62+) and Linfield faculty and staff (two tickets per ID); and $6 for students (any school, one ticket per ID). The Trojan Women and The Eumenides are recommended for ages 14 or older. Lysistrata is recommended for ages 18 and older. Children 6 and under are not admitted (no lap seating). Fog and strobe lights will be used.
Tickets are available at www.linfield.edu/arts and at the Marshall Theatre Box Office beginning Monday, Sept. 16. Located in Ford Hall, the box office is open Monday through Thursday from 3-5 p.m., and Friday through Sunday from 3-7:30 p.m. The Marshall Theatre is accessible. Please contact the box office for help with accessible seating. For more information, call 503-883-2292.
Some of the performances will take place outside. In the event of inclement weather, the performances will move indoors.
