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Hercules: In Search of a Hero
New York, January 24 - February 10, 2019 Thursday-Saturday @ 7.30 pm & Sunday @ 2.30 pm (Sunday January 27 extra show @ 6.00 pm) Abrons Arts Center (as part of the @ Abrons Series program) 466 Grand Street (at Pitt Street) New York, NY 10002 Hercules: In Search of a Hero, based on Alcestis and Hercules by Euripides, directed & conceived by Ioanna Katsarou and translated by Demetri Bonaros. *This project is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; and *This project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by the Queens Council on the Arts. * This project was funded by the Investors Foundation. * This work partially developed and performed through a generous space grant from LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC). * This project will be performed at the Abrons Arts Center as part of the @Abrons Series program, a subsidized rental program of Abrons Arts Center. Under the Auspices and strong support of the Consulate General of Greece in New York. Creative Team: Director/Concept/Dramaturgy work: Ioanna Katsarou Translator: Demetri Bonaros Composer: Costas Baltazanis Lighting Designer: Christina Watanabe Set Designer: Christos Alexandridis Costume Designer: Marina Gkoumla Assistant Costume Designer: Vivian Triviza Stage Manager: Anastasia Thanasoula Press Rep.: David Gibbs/ DARR publicity Video: Alex Agisilaou Photo credit: Selim Cayligil Fundraising/Marketing Coordinator: Katerina Alexaki Fundraising/Social Media Coordinator/Marketing: Alexandra Skendrou Advertisements/Fundraising: Pandora Spelios Executive Producers: Ioanna Katsarou & Demetri Bonaros Production: Eclipses Group Theater NY Cast: Alcestis: Luisa Alarcón Admetos/Servant: Demetri Bonaros* Hercules: Luke Couzens Megara: Helena Farhi Goddess: Alexandra Skendrou Video Cast: Child: Taj Sood * Member of Actors' Equity Association |
Hercules: In Search of a Hero is a new theater piece presented by a multi-ethnic cast, combining excerpts from Euripides’ plays Hercules and Alcestis with original material to explore the meaning of heroism in our time.
In Alcestis, Hercules goes to the underworld and restores Alcestis to her family. In Hercules, he comes back from the underworld, is thrown into a god-induced frenzy and kills his own family. On the other hand, Alcestis sacrifices herself to save her family. Using as a launching point these two diametrically opposite actions by Hercules—the prototypical Greek hero—and Alcestis' differently heroic act, we explore what heroism is/is not/could be in a modern context.
Using poetic language and images, our play challenges the conventional, masculine notion of heroism and contemplates a feminine alternative. It asks what counts as heroism in our time? Is an act heroic if it involves violence? Where is the place of women in the modern, Western mythology of heroism? And do we need to create new mythologies?
In Alcestis, Hercules goes to the underworld and restores Alcestis to her family. In Hercules, he comes back from the underworld, is thrown into a god-induced frenzy and kills his own family. On the other hand, Alcestis sacrifices herself to save her family. Using as a launching point these two diametrically opposite actions by Hercules—the prototypical Greek hero—and Alcestis' differently heroic act, we explore what heroism is/is not/could be in a modern context.
Using poetic language and images, our play challenges the conventional, masculine notion of heroism and contemplates a feminine alternative. It asks what counts as heroism in our time? Is an act heroic if it involves violence? Where is the place of women in the modern, Western mythology of heroism? And do we need to create new mythologies?