The University of Wyoming Department of Theatre and Dance will present an adaptation
of Ovid’s classic myths by Tony Award-winning director and playwright Mary Zimmerman.
“Metamorphoses” will run Wednesday-Saturday, Oct. 25-28, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday,
Oct. 29, at 2 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Thrust Theater.
Tickets are $14 for the public, $11 for senior citizens and $7 for students. A nominal
processing fee will be charged for each ticket. To purchase tickets, visit the Performing
Arts box office, call (307) 766-6666 or go online at www.tix.com/ticket-sales/uwyo/6984.
Written more than two millennia ago, Roman poet Ovid’s epic poem, “Metamorphoses,”
reimagines more than 250 stories from both Greek and Roman mythology, all united by
the central theme of transformation. These classic tales come to life in Zimmerman’s
adaptation for the stage, in which an onstage pool conjures a magical world, where
gods and mortals coexist and universal tales of fate, lost love, greed and death are
shared.
“The beautiful thing about ‘Metamorphoses’ is that it blends traditional elements
of Greek theater as well as modern processes, creating a distinct show that is unlike
anything else,” says Joel Shura, the production’s director and a UW visiting assistant
professor.
Juxtaposing the mythic and the modern, Zimmerman tells the stories of Aphrodite, Midas,
Orpheus, Cupid and others in a whimsical and poignant fashion, reminding audience
members of the joys, follies and heartbreaks of being human.
While change may be a common theme in the play, it also has been an integral part
of the creative process of producing the piece. The presence of a pool onstage has
presented unique challenges to the design and technical faculty.
“The additional element of water was a significant concern as we discussed our season,”
says UW scenic designer Scott Tedmon-Jones. “How do we create a temporary pool that
is free from leaks, safe for the cast and crew, and is an effective storytelling element?
Every part of the process has been filled with learning moments with significant research
into possible approaches. As we prepare for opening the production, the water continues
to teach us.”
Nominated for three Tony Awards in 2002, including Best Play, “Metamorphoses” earned
Zimmerman a Tony for Best Direction of a Play.
UW’s production of “Metamorphoses” is supported, in part, by the UW Honors College
and the Wyoming Arts Council, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts
and the Wyoming Legislature.
For more information, call Kathy Kirkaldie, UW Fine Arts coordinator, at (307) 766-2160
or email [email protected].