The Latest
October 04, 2024

Where Every Family Matters

Moira Cagle will portray the titular character, Eurydice.

See MTSU Theatre’s Twist on the Classic ‘Eurydice’

Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice tells the famous myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, with a twist, told from the perspective of Eurydice as she descends into the underworld.

Middle Tennessee State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance students are at it again with this production of Eurydice, a play that reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine. The show runs Thursday, Sept. 26, through Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 2 p.m. at MTSU’s Tucker Theatre at 615 Champion Way.

Directed by assistant professor Alicia Fuss, Eurydice was written by Sarah Ruhl.

Eurydice is a play full of questions,” Fuss explained. “There are infinite ways you could approach this text. Working on this production, students in both tech and acting roles get to dig into all these possibilities of meaning and make artistic decisions.

“My job as the director is to facilitate that process and make sure we land on answers that work well with each other to support the story we are telling. Although we had to answer lots of questions as a part of our process, part of what excites me is knowing that our audiences will leave with lots of questions, too. It’s the kind of play I hope audience members will want to keep wondering about.”

About Eurydice

In Eurydice, Ruhl reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story.

“The ancient Greek myth of ‘Orpheus and Eurydice’ has been explored again and again by artists, writers and musicians — typically focusing on Orpheus as the tragic hero,” said Fuss. “In this play, playwright Sarah Ruhl focuses on the character of Eurydice. She uses the framework of the original myth to explore love, loss and grief. In part, she wrote the play to help process the death of her father, who died while she was a college student. The play is very poetic, both in language and visuals.”

MTSU Cast

The cast and crew began working on the production in spring 2024.

“The first part of the process is working with the team of designers to set the visual and aural tone of the production, and then individual designers begin to design elements like costumes, sets, lights and sound. The show was also cast last spring, and we began rehearsals on Aug. 19, just before the fall semester started,” explained Fuss.

  • Moira Cagle, a theatre major from Murfreesboro, plays Eurydice.
  • Morgan Broome, an exercise science major from Hendersonville, plays Eurydice’s father.
  • Eli Maberry, a transfer student from Hendersonville, plays Orpheus.
  • Patrick Jones, a theatre major from New Market, plays Nasty Interesting Man.
  • Jadyn Peter, a theatre major from Smyrna, plays Little Stone.
  • Vanessa Jarman, a theatre major from Manchester, plays Big Stone.
  • MJ Learned, a theatre major from Germantown, plays Loud Stone.

Tickets are $10 for general admission, $7 for seniors and $5 for students K-12. They can be purchased online here or at the Tucker Theatre box office before each performance. MTSU students, faculty and staff can attend for free by presenting their current university ID at the box office. No late entry will be permitted after the box office closes.

Additional details about the production, including a digital program and a full cast and crew listing, are available hereFor more details on MTSU Theatre and Dance productions, visit here.

 

FIND THINGS TO DO!

About the Author

Michael Aldrich

Michael Aldrich is Nashville Parent's Managing Editor and a Middle Tennessee arts writer. He and his wife, Alison, are the proud parents of 4-year-old Ezra and baby Norah.