The Bacchae in the Park--Yes!

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 4:23pm

This is one of my favorite plays! Wonderful selection by the Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival.

Perhaps my favorite play by that ancient Greek master, Euripedes!

It'll be outdoors in Central Park this summer at the Delacort.

Not too sure what the "choral singing" with Philip Glass' music will be like? Anyone know?

What do you think of the casting?
Euripede's Bacchae in the Park this summer

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 4:35pm

I love that play... but I can't find the cast list on the link, only the cast of Twelfth Night.

I love how it mistakenly says Violet and Sebastian are identical twins...

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 4:53pm

Who do you think should be cast for The Bacchae?

I suppose at least the chorus will have to be singers now.

But what of the leads?

Do you suppose Alan Cumming would reprise his recent turn as Dionysus for the National Theatre of Scotland, visiting this production instead?

Adam Lambert might also be fun if available.

Or another? Updated On: 5/28/09 at 04:53 PM

[EugLoven]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 4:59pm

Does anyone else get really excited when they walk by a Public Theatre "in the park" advertisements in the subway? There's something so very-very New York about catching their shows in the summer. The night-sky, the long-line for free tickets, the community experience... and the Public's solid marketing-art.

PUMPED!

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 5:02pm

There is something so summer and so beautiful about seeing a show in the open air theatre.

And as the sky sunsets, and darkens, and then the stars come out--it can be heaven.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 7:40pm

Here's a thread with the casting--

Groff as Dionysus.

He is likeable, though not perhaps who I would immediately think of in the role. I am certainly open to see what he does.

I don't picture him as the body type or personality type for the role after seeing him outside SA in the performance of a song from the show, in which he excelled for both acting and singing, and seeing him in Singing Forest which was just a problematic play.
Casting

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 7:43pm

Eug, I just started seeing ads for this year's shows in the subway, and I get so very excited every time I see them. Not to mention that I particularly love this year's tag line, "Cross-dressing in the Park." I am counting the days 'til Twelfth Night.

Updated On: 5/28/09 at 07:43 PM

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 8:16pm

I hope they keep a lush ancient Greece feel to it and don't go all post-modern so as to lose the classicism and style of the era costumes and such.

Fine to add some shimmer but I hope they wont decide to deconstruct it. It's a play that does not need that and it would detract from its humanist center.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 8:48pm

http://thebacchaediary.blogspot.com/

A blog regarding the development stagings of Akalaitis' production.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 9:03pm

Thanks so much, Yankeefan.

I can't say i agree with JoAnne Akalaitis on this quote:

"The audience is not meant to identify with the characters."

I wonder if she's going distanciation in a Brechtian style--I really don't like that style of directing because it makes a piece boring and lifeless. Let's hope that's a misquote or that she has other plans because I love the play so much and I don't want to see it ruined.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 5/28/09 at 11:25pm

Was hyped for this once I heard that Glass was involved, now even more so learning about Groff and especially Andre de Shields, who was just about the only thing worthwhile in IMPRESSIONISM.