Posted on April 23, 2007
According to Greek mythology, Prometheus was a Titan who sympathized with mortal man and saved him from the Gods. A cunning and deceitful character, Prometheus tricked Zeus into accepting sacrifices of fat and bone so that the humans could eat meat, and later stole fire from Zeus in order to save the humans. For these deeds, he was taken to Mount Caucasus, where every day an eagle would peck out his liver, only to have it grow back at night.
This week students will perform an adaptation of Aeschylus’s play “Prometheus Bound,” written between 525-456 B.C. Student director senior Kevin Hasser expressed his enthusiasm for JMU adaptation of the play, to be performed Tuesday-Saturday, April 24-28, in the Experimental Theatre room at Theatre II.
“I adapted the script myself… it has been on my desk since this time last year,” Hasser said.
Hasser was hesitant to provide any details about the show itself, hoping to keep everything under wraps until opening night.
“Since this is our own adaptation… I can keep as many secrets as I want,” Hasser said.
In order to provide a more interactive setting for the show, the play will take place in an all-black room with a circular ‘stage’ area in the center of the floor. Audience members will sit or stand around the performers.
According to Hasser, Prometheus will be chained up in the center and there’s also a chorus and a few other characters.
Many of the plays performed in this room are more modern-style scripts, which makes Prometheus, a two thousand-year-old script, a bit of a challenge.
“Language is really rough—it’s not Shakespearian, it’s Greek, which is even harder,” Hasser said.
Hasser said that the actors had difficulty relating to characters who speak in verse, and spent time trying to get into the mindset of the story in order to give his actors inspiration.
Hasser said that since the whole idea behind performing a classic play in a modern setting is to show how themes are relevant to everyday life, connections to recent events at Virginia Tech will form regardless of the director’s thoughts on the matter.
“If people draw from it what I hope they will, I think it’ll be inevitable,” Hasser said.
The only other thing the director wished audience members to know before the show was that they should wear comfortable shoes. Audience members will have to stand or sit on the ground around the stage.
“This makes the audience more a part of the show. It is environmental theatre, so the actors will be interacting with the audience,” Hasser said.
The show will last approximately 1 hour 20 minutes, and tickets cost $3 for students.
