Greek Classic Comes to Stage



Zachary Bortot as Jason and
Tabitha Ray Strong as Medea



By Rachel Judy

 

The story of Medea has been told over and over again for hundreds of years. Considered the classic tale of a woman scorned, Medea tells the story of a woman's revenge when her husband leaves her for another woman. Out of pain, anguish, and hatred, she goes on a rampage to destroy everything dear to her husband, including her own children.

The classic Greek tragedy comes to the Regent University stage March 11-13 and 17-20.

Regent's production seeks to combine traditional "Greek Style" of play acting with a more modern interpretation. "This story is told in a highly theatrical way," explained Derek Martin, director of Medea and an instructor in the School of Communication & the Arts. "There is dance, quarterstaff fights and intense character physicality that have all contributed to a highly stylized, movement-oriented type of storytelling."

 

As Martin also notes, the story goes from one emotional extreme to another as audiences follow Medea's transformation from a loving wife and mother to a woman capable of harming her children. "How can a human being flip to such extremes? This is one of the questions our unique production explores," Martin said.

"This is a tale about a wife who has been betrayed by her husband. Because of his actions, Medea gets plunged into a downward spiral of sin and hate, and she ends up doing the unthinkable," Martin continues. "The theme I chose for this production is how the death of the sacred is the birth of the profane. This statement begs the questions, 'What are the consequences of breaking a sacred oath or vow?' and, 'What is the responsibility man takes for even the simplest of his actions?'"

The Medea cast features a number of graduate and undergraduate theatre students. Tickets may be purchased through the Regent University Box Office.