The Odyssey

an adaptation of Homer's epic poem

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Directed by Betsy Tobin

Assisted by Claire Patton, David Ortolano & Margarita Blush

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Odysseus is portrayed by an actor in all his glory (and his misery) as he tells the story of his epic adventure. Shadow scenes play upon his ship’s sail. Fabrics billow in all directions as seas and storms. Edited video sequences conjure the gods in their heavens, the shadows of the underworld, and great events like the Trojan War. Actors don masks to become the Cyclops and other fantastic creatures Odysseus meets on his journey. Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom, steps down from the heavens to intervene on Odysseus' behalf.

 

The strong visuals transport audience members into the fantastic world of the Sirens and Cyclops, man and beast. Audiences of all ages experience the catharsis Greek drama provides as heroes, heroines, gods and goddesses spar, each with their own flaws, in The Odyssey. 

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This production includes techniques developed in ancient Greek theatre, such as masks and the chorus, as well as actors, puppets, shadows, and video sequences set to live music and sound. Multi-layered shadow and video techniques tell this well-known, dramatic story, a metaphor for life’s journey.

     

 

Performed by Michael Gunst, Shana Cordon, Nathan Montgomery,

KB Nau, Niki Dreistadt, & Betsy Tobin    

 

Music by Michael Stanwood

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Photos by Ken Miller

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Funded by the Boulder Arts Commission, an agency of the City of Boulder, the Boulder County Arts Alliance, and the Jim Henson Foundation