Written by Charles L. Mee
Directed by Franchelle Stewart Dorn
Performances: February 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 at 8:00 PM
February 16, 17, 23, 24 at 2:00 PM
Oscar G. Brockett Theatre
Tickets: $16 adults, $13 UT faculty & staff, $10 students available online at www.utpac.org or by phone at 477-6060.
Media and Resources:
Synopsis: From Charles Mee’s Website:
Fifty brides flee their fifty grooms and seek refuge in a villa on the coast of Italy in this modern re-making of one of the western world's oldest plays, The Danaids by Aeschylus. And, in this villa on the Italian coast, the fifty grooms catch up with the brides, and mayhem ensues: the grooms arriving by helicopter in their flight suits, women throwing themselves over and over again to the ground, pop songs and romantic dances, and, finally, unable to escape their forced marriages, 49 of the brides murder 49 of the grooms—and one bride falls in love. About the same odds as today.
Director’s Notes:
BIG LOVE by Charles Mee examines the many contemporary aspects of love and marriage. It is the battle of the sexes on steroids - exposing the underpinnings of arranged marriages, abuse, societal expectations, fear, confusion, masculinity, femininity, sexuality and hope. At once tragic and satirical, the brutal end expresses our despair and yet offers the possibility of redemption.
Everyone who is in a relationship, is wishing for a relationship, is despairing the loss of a relationship or hopes never to be in a relationship should see this play.
It’s about LOVE. It’s very messy.
Chuck Mee has written bobrauschenbergamerica, Wintertime, Belle Epoque, Vienna: Lusthaus, Snow in June, A Perfect Wedding, Limonade tous les Jours, and a number of other plays in addition to his work inspired by Greek plays: Big Love, True Love, Orestes 2.0, Trojan Women A Love Story, and others. His plays have been performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, American Repertory Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, the Public Theatre, Lincoln Center, the Humana Festival, Steppenwolf, and other places in the United States as well as in Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Istanbul and elsewhere.
His work is made possible by the support of Jeanne Donovan Fisher and Richard B. Fisher.
Director: Franchelle Stewart Dorn
Ms. Dorn, the Virginia L Murchison Regents Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, is currently Head of the Acting Program at the University of Texas at Austin, where she has taught since the spring of 2000. She received her M.F.A. degree from the Yale University School of Drama where she was one of the founding members of the Yale Summer Cabaret.
Prior to her tenure at UT, she was the leading actress at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington D.C. and a member of the Arena Stage company where she spent twenty years playing dozens of roles. Some of those include: Bessie Burgess (THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS), Claire Zachanassian (THE VISIT), Maydee (JAR THE FLOOR), Lady Macbeth (MACBETH), Cleopatra (ANTONY AND…), Gertrude (HAMLET), Christine (MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA), and Emilia (OTHELLO). Austin audiences have seen her as Barbara Jordan in the world premiere of her life's story (E PLURIBUS UNUM: ONE LIFE) and as Mrs. Warren in MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION, both at The State Theatre, and as Martha in WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF? at Zachary Scott Theatre. (read full bio)
- Lesley Gurule as LYDIA
- Xochitl Romero as THYONA
- Sydney Andrews as OLYMPIA
- LaTasha Stephens as BELLA
- Smaranda Ciceu as ELEANOR
- Harrison Butler as CONSTANTINE
- Mark Scheibmeir as NIKOS
- Tom Truss as LEO / PIERO
- Qadir Kahn as GIULIANO
- Chase Van Haselen as OED
Brides:
- Taryn Abrahamsen
- Michelle Cooper
- Anna Fugate
- Hailey Hansard
- Haley Polak
- Lekeisha Robinson
- Elizabeth Trieu
- Jessica Webb
Grooms:
- Matthew Bunker
- Julian Castillo
- Ryan Flores
- Robby Gonzalez
- Rob Jonsson
- Matrex Kilgore
- Taylor Kirk
- Matthew Satterfield
