Eurydice is an exception. Wood nymphs aren’t generally given a whole lot of attention in myth and legend. They tend to lie outside the center of the frame in so many stories. Her dad was Apollo, the god of light, but the oak nymph Eurydice is given special prominence by marriage. She was the wife of Greek dream god Orpheus. She died and he went in to t he underworld to get her back. Unfortunate to have such a prominent fairy defined by the men in her life. Contemporary playwright Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice rectifies this a bit by re-framing the story of Eurydice in contemporary terms as the center of a story that has the character going to the underworld to reunite with her father.
I’ve seen a couple of different productions including one with the Milwaukee Rep. The script isn’t bad. It can be kind of a fun reimagining of ancient myth. This month, The Village Playhouse stages a production of the play. It’s a pleasantly diverse cast including Ashley Jordan in the title role. Scott Stenstrup. Darrion Brown plays Orpheus.
The Village Playhouse’s staging of Eurydice runs Oct. 14 - 29 at Inspiration Studios on 1500 S. 73rd St. inWest Allis. For ticket reservations and more, visit Village Playhouse online.
