One of antiquity’s most notorious legends comes vividly into life in Euripides’ greatest play, Medea, first produced in 431 BCE and being produced locally by Voices Found Repertory.
Theater
Nunsense
Nunsense is a musical comedy about a group of nuns who love to entertain. The “Little Sisters of Hoboken” unexpectedly need to raise money not merely to get their convent back in order, but to bury their dear sisters who were accidentally poisoned by their own convent cook! For the latter cause, they put on a rambunctious revue filled with comical song and dance numbers.
Nunsense’s originating idea is unique in the annals of musical theater. Its author and composer, Dan Goggin, started its story as a line of greeting cards! Goggin then expanded the concept into a cabaret show that ran for 38 weeks; eventually, he further fine-tuned Nunsense into the full-length musical it is today. Its original Off-Broadway production opened in December 1985, ran for 3,672 performances and became the second-longest-running Off-Broadway show in history. Its success has further spawned a television adaptation, six sequels and three spin-offs.
Dec. 7-16 at Memories Ballroom, 1077 Lake Drive, Port Washington. For tickets and show-accompanying dinner menus, call 262-284-6850 or visit memoriesballroom.com.
Medea
One of antiquity’s most archetypal legends comes vividly into life in Euripides’ greatest play, Medea, first produced in 431 BCE. When her husband, Greek hero Jason, abandons Medea—a former princess of the barbarian kingdom of Colchis—and their children, a battle of the sexes becomes a nightmarish venture into questions of vengeance, justice, family, loyalty and pride. As Medea decides how far she will go to bring Jason to task for his betrayal, her community must grapple with the consequences that anger can bring upon the innocent.
Medea speaks to modern audiences because its themes are universal. It sparked renewed interest with the rise of the late 20th-century feminist movement, being interpreted as a nuanced and sympathetic portrayal of a woman’s struggle to take charge of her own life in a male-dominated world. As an interesting side note which would no doubt have thrilled Euripides, his ancient Greek tragedy holds the American Tony Award record for most wins for the same female lead character: Judith Anderson (1948), Zoe Caldwell (1982) and Diana Rigg (1994).
This Voices Found Repertory production takes place Dec. 6-16 in the Arcade Theatre at the Underground Collaborative, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. For tickets, visit voicesfoundrep.com.
More To Do
“Resonate”
In Carthage College’s annual fall dance show (yes, despite the wintry weather of late, it is still fall!), artistic director and dance program leader Stacy Pottinger has created “Resonate”—a production that features rich and thoughtful dance pieces in a variety of styles. In this investigation of technique and emotion, students express deeply complex themes utilizing skill sets they have honed within their exploration of various techniques within the Carthage curriculum. The production showcases work by some of the school’s most talented and experienced dancers and is built on the dedication and passion of both dancers and choreographers. December 7-9 in Wartburg Auditorium (on the north end of the Carthage College campus, in the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Natural and Social Sciences, east of Campus Drive). Tickets (required for entry) are available by visiting carthage.edu/tickets.
