Salve Regina Theater Department Presents Eurydice

By: Kaitlyn Boisvert
Posted In: News

Is it worth going through personal anguish in order to remember a faraway past? Or is it better to just forget everything?

Such a theme is explored within the play Eurydice, playwright Sarah Ruhl’s portrayal of an ancient Greek myth of the same name.

The play Eurydice presents a beautiful story that provides a close portrayal of love, sadness, loss and heartbreak. It revolves heavily around Eurydice and Orpheus, two young, innocent newlywed lovers that offer some of the play’s most touching moments.

The two love struck youths are torn away; however, when Eurydice dies and is hurled into an Underworld filled with talking stones, a malicious leader and dear father who she had lost long ago. Like most people who enter the Underworld, Eurydice has lost her memory, and it is her loving father who helps her in remembering her former life on the earth. When Orpheus ventures to the Gates of Hell to rescue his love, Eurydice must decide whether to return to the living with him and head towards her future, or to remain in the underworld to learn more about her past.

From April 14th to April 18th, the Salve Regina Department Performing Arts will perform an adaption of this exquisite and poetic love story. The play is directed by Suzanne Delle, assistant professor of theater and artistic director of the Stanford White Casino Theatre. Additional people involved with the production are Allison Martell ’10 the Stage Director, Jared Emanuel ’11 the Assistant Director and Jacqueline Lawler as a dramaturg. All proceeds earned during the shows will go towards the Salve Hearts for Haiti fund.

The exciting production stars an elite cast of immensely talented Salve students who each offer a contribution of their talents towards the assembly of a very powerful and heartbreaking piece not worthy of being missed. Each of the actors fully immerses themselves into their parts, offering very realistic portrayals of their characters with all their strengths and all their weaknesses. These close and poignant portrayals will offer audiences real and relatable characters, which will greatly add towards the play’s amusing as well as moving quality.

Annie McConville ’10 and Judson Hobbs ’12 portray the lead lovers, Eurydice and Orpheus, respectively. Both actors successfully provide two very realistic and moving depictions of giddy love struck youths who are both forced to undergo personal growth in the midst of a trial by fire.

Matthew Dinda ’10 offers a heart-breaking portrayal of a father who deeply loves and cares for his daughter unconditionally, even if she may have somebody else in her heart.

Nicole Dionne ’12 offers a haunting and mischievous portrayal of the Lord of the Underworld, while Mary Wright ’10, Liana Sarapas ’12 and Alexandra Clayton ’13 all supply powerful and eerie performances as the Lord’s minions.

The process of preparing for the play has required a lot of time, patience, diligence and a shared artistic vision. Stage Manager Allison Martell admits that although the entire production team did encounter a few difficulties, the team had a lot of fun with the process and Martell herself has thoroughly enjoyed witnessing the production come together. She feels confident that audiences will enjoy the play, because it is visually beautiful, poetic and a source of good entertainment.

Martell is indeed very correct in such a belief, the play Eurydice will appeal to all audiences with its profound exposure to very powerful and relatable themes. Within one point of the play, a house made entirely of string is constructed upon the set. The string house closely represents the production itself: a very beautiful artistic piece woven with interlocking strands of love, loss, heartbreak and sadness. A profound and unique piece of art that viewers will cherish and behold forever: wishing for it all to never unravel away from their hearts.

Tickets for “Eurydice” are now on sale. Admission for Wednesday’s performance is “pay what you can” and proceeds will benefit the Salve Hearts for Haiti fund. Admission to all other performances is $10 for general, $7 for faculty, staff and seniors and $5 for students.