Island playhouse to stage ‘Medea’
Pine Island Playhouse will present the Greek play “Medea” Friday and Saturday, May 22-23, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 24, at 2 p.m., at Pine Island United Methodist Church.
“Medea” is a tragedy written by Greek playwright Euripides in 431 B.C. It is based on the myth of husband and wife Jason and Medea.
“Medea is what happens to Jason and Medea post Jason and the Argonauts,” director Nichole Pichon said. “Medea and Jason have been married for some time. Jason decides to marry Creon’s daughter the princess. This angers Medea and Jason is punished by her.
“The most challenging part of playing this role is the amount of lines along with the fact that this character is so complex,” Pichon said. “She runs a gamut of emotions throughout the show. Rebecca Carden and I decided to do this show after we couldn’t find a male lead for the play Antigone. We talked about other possibilities and we decided to stay within the greek tragedy vein.”
“The way I came to play the lead is everyone auditioned for the part, including me,” Pichon said. “I must be insane though to have auditioned for this role as well as building the set, costumes and plotting the lights. It’s always amazing to me to see how the young people of the island step up and play roles for us. This play should be entirely composed of adults but we just didn’t have them audition so the kids stepped in and have done a tremendous job.”
“Some look at this play as a ‘women’s lib’ play,” Pichon said. “I can see how that has come about in modern times. However in Greek times, this play would have been put on by a cast entirely of males and performed for an audience of all males. I think the most interesting thing about this tragedy is that to a modern audience it tells a very different story than it would to original Greek audiences. Then it was more of a cautionary tale to men, now it is more ‘Don’t mess with me, I’m a powerful woman.'”
The Pine Island Playhouse has performed such plays as “Frankenstein,” “James and the Giant Peach,” “The Miracle Worker” and “Alice.” This is the first Greek tragedy PIP will perform.
Admission is free to the “Medea” performances, but donations will be accepted and appreciated. Pine Island United Methodist Church is at 5701 Pine Island Road, Bokeelia.