Ancient mythology may seem irrelevant to today’s college students. However, poignant human truths lie at the heart of Greek mythology. The play “Metamorphoses” by Mary Zimmerman teaches lessons of love, loss, suffering and the inevitability of change — lessons as pertinent today as they were thousands of years ago.
The play, an eminent adaptation of Ovid’s ancient myths, mixes standard Greek tragedy and pathos with contemporary language and humor. Modern viewpoints and opinions breathe new life into the familiar characters of King Midas, Orpheus, Eurydice and others.
“The show is an ensemble piece. The 13 actors in the show play multiple characters,” said Alexander Eltzroth, a student in theatre who portrays King Ceyx, Orpheus and four other characters.
Director Jamie Rocha Allan has come across the pond to collaborate with the seniors of the U’s actor training program. “Metamorphoses” is a challenging play to direct. However, Allan’s years of experience working with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare’s Globe renders the challenge exciting.
“Working with Jamie has been phenomenal. Learning and working with him has been a highlight of my college acting career,” Eltzroth said. “He is an incredibly talented director and a wonderful person. He has shown [the cast] unconditional care and respect throughout the process.”
The set includes a 12-by-24 pool of water, symbolizing the extended metaphor in which water represents change. Action sequences are designed to occur in and around the pool, meaning audience members in the first few rows may get wet.
“Because water places so many demands on the technical elements, this wasn’t an easy show to build,” said Halee Rasmussen, assistant technical director for the department of theater, in a U’s fall newsletter article.
“It was actually a pretty monumental feat to build the pool in the theatre. A square foot of water weighs more than a square foot of concrete, so we had to carefully examine the engineering plans for the Pioneer Memorial Theatre building to make sure that the floor could hold the weight of 8,000 gallons of water,” Rasmussen said.
Despite the difficulties installing the pool, the water adds a theatrical element.
“The pool, in many ways, is like the show’s fourteenth actor. It represents so many things throughout the play. [It represents] a luxurious pool, the sea, the underworld of Hades and even life [itself],” said Eltzroth.
The set — pool at center stage — combines with the script’s poetic language. These elements, along with the characters, brought to life by 13 talented seniors from the U’s Actor Training Program, create a visceral and whimsical experience.
“Each individual that has worked on this production has given their heart and self to the show,” said Eltzroth. “The University of Utah theater department takes pride in their productions … The designers, technical crew and cast have selflessly worked hard to make sure that this production is fully envisioned.”
“Metamorphoses” runs Sept. 20-29 at the Babcock Theatre.