UW Theatre and Dance to Present ‘Metamorphoses’ Oct. 25-29

The University of Wyoming Department of Theatre and Dance will present an adaptation of Ovid’s classic myths by Tony Award-winning director and playwright Mary Zimmerman.

“Metamorphoses” will run Wednesday-Saturday, Oct. 25-28, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 29, at 2 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Thrust Theater.

Tickets are $14 for the public, $11 for senior citizens and $7 for students. A nominal processing fee will be charged for each ticket. To purchase tickets, visit the Performing Arts box office, call (307) 766-6666 or go online at www.tix.com/ticket-sales/uwyo/6984.

Written more than two millennia ago, Roman poet Ovid’s epic poem, “Metamorphoses,” reimagines more than 250 stories from both Greek and Roman mythology, all united by the central theme of transformation. These classic tales come to life in Zimmerman’s adaptation for the stage, in which an onstage pool conjures a magical world, where gods and mortals coexist and universal tales of fate, lost love, greed and death are shared.

“The beautiful thing about ‘Metamorphoses’ is that it blends traditional elements of Greek theater as well as modern processes, creating a distinct show that is unlike anything else,” says Joel Shura, the production’s director and a UW visiting assistant professor.

Juxtaposing the mythic and the modern, Zimmerman tells the stories of Aphrodite, Midas, Orpheus, Cupid and others in a whimsical and poignant fashion, reminding audience members of the joys, follies and heartbreaks of being human.

While change may be a common theme in the play, it also has been an integral part of the creative process of producing the piece. The presence of a pool onstage has presented unique challenges to the design and technical faculty.

“The additional element of water was a significant concern as we discussed our season,” says UW scenic designer Scott Tedmon-Jones. “How do we create a temporary pool that is free from leaks, safe for the cast and crew, and is an effective storytelling element? Every part of the process has been filled with learning moments with significant research into possible approaches. As we prepare for opening the production, the water continues to teach us.”

Nominated for three Tony Awards in 2002, including Best Play, “Metamorphoses” earned Zimmerman a Tony for Best Direction of a Play.

UW’s production of “Metamorphoses” is supported, in part, by the UW Honors College and the Wyoming Arts Council, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Wyoming Legislature.

For more information, call Kathy Kirkaldie, UW Fine Arts coordinator, at (307) 766-2160 or email kirisk@uwyo.edu.