The University of Rhode Island Theatre Department opened their first theatre production of the year, Eurydice, last Thursday, Oct. 12.
The story of Eurydice is as follows: On the happiest day of her life, Eurydice has a tragic accident which rips her from reality, sending her into a sort of Underworld, leaving behind her lover, Orpheus. While in the Underworld, Eurydice reunites with an old family member and the story progresses on from there.
I was able to speak with some members of the production staff and the cast of the show. This production of Eurydice is directed by Kira Hawkridge, a 2012 alumna of URI.
Hawkridge’s vision of the show is very unique. She describes her vision of the show as “movement-driven,” toying with the concept of the contrast between growing and being rooted in one area.
“So much of the work I’ve done has been rooted in the ensemble,” says Hawkridge. ”There is inherently a unique vision coming from these artists.”
She feels that this production of Eurydice differs from the pure creativity of the artists and designers of the show. I had the opportunity to speak to one of the assistant directors, John Cunha. Cunha replicated all of Hawkridge’s sentiments. He talked about the free nature of the production and the extreme amount of creative direction coming from the collaboration between the actors and the production staff.
I also had the privilege of talking to some of the actors in the play. A consistent theme discussed among the actors was a sense of comfortability. All these actors are very in tune with their characters. Ardemis Kassabian, who plays Eurydice, spoke on how special the part of Eurydice was to her. Kassabian is very in tune with Greek mythology and was very familiar with the story of Eurydice prior to auditioning, saying she feels a true and genuine connection to the character. She truly feels Eurydice’s short bursts of extreme emotion that occur throughout the show.
Speaking of genuine connection, I also spoke to Daria-Lyric Montaquila, who plays Orpheus. Traditionally, Orpheus is played by a man, but this time around, Orpheus is played by a woman. Montaquila, however, doesn’t feel bothered by playing a role traditionally portrayed by male figures, in fact, she’s extremely comfortable in the role. Daria especially connects with Orpheus passion and determination, specifically with his music.
All these artists came together to weave this story into something intriguing and creative. Please support these young artists. There’s one more weekend to go of Eurydice. Tickets are available online at http://web.uri.edu/theatre/current-season/. Tickets are $20 for General Admission and $15 for Seniors as well as URI Faculty members and staff.