Yulman Theater's contemporary adaptation of
Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound opened Thursday as the second
offering in the “Season of Science.”
“In many ways, this was the first play about science,”
said Director William Finlay. “Prometheus gave fire to
mankind, and it also touches on medicine and the healing
arts, farming, mathematics and the ability to write down
one's thoughts (`the-all remembering skill').”
Shows are Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24, at 8
p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m.; March 1 through 3 at 8 p.m.; and
March 4 at 2 p.m.
Ardelle Striker, artistic director of the Blue
Heron Theater in New York City, wrote the contemporary
adaptation. This is Finlay's third direction of the
play.
Cast members are Marty Albert (Strength),
Andrew Levinson (Violence), Jeff Silver (Hephaestus), Spencer
Christie (Prometheus), Ariel Fierman and Alison Struzziero (daughters
of Oceanus), Josh Dubs (Oceanus), Colleen Sentance (Io) and
Mark McKee (Hermes). Lighting is by John Miller, and costumes
by Lloyd Waiwaiole. Stage manager is Tamara Carl. Vocal coach
is Patsy Culbert.
The set, designed by Prof. Charles Steckler, consists of
lots of angular stone and iron. The chorus appears back
lighted above the stage. Among the unusual features are a
trapeze that carries Prometheus about 8 feet off the ground from
stage right to center stage, a vulture with a 16-foot wingspan
created by New York City sculptor Haakon Faste (trained as
artist and physicist), and a “Promethean ball” made of
8-foot iron hoops to which the hero is bound.
Finding the ball took some legwork, recalled Finlay, who
built it some 15 years earlier for a production of the play. He
finally tracked it down to a backyard in a rough Boston
neighborhood, where it was being used as a stand for a barbecue grill. When
a curious woman stuck her head out a window to ask what he
was doing, Finlay replied, “I'm Prometheus. I've come for
my ball.”
Yulman's “Season of Science” began last fall with a
Commedia Dell' Arté production, The Big Bang.
It concludes next term with Electrifying Acts,
a commissioned play by Jon Lipsky about the relationship of Thomas
Edison and Nikola Tesla and invention in America.
“The Season of Science has given us the opportunity to
work closely with our colleagues in the sciences, particularly
physics,” Finlay said. “Combining the
two is a hot topic in both the arts and the sciences,” he added,
noting several popular plays that deal with the themes:
Copenhagen, Proof and Arcadia. (The latter
was read this week by faculty and students as part of
freshman preceptorial, Finlay said.)
Tickets are available at the Yulman Theater box office,
ext. 6545.