Lysistrata, 2002-03 Season Archive

Lysistrata, written and performed midway through the Peloponnesian war, is a satirical and bawdy response to that war, an attempt to bring laughter in the midst of national crisis, and perhaps a clue to the male author's forward thinking. Historically, women in Greece were homebound, valued for the children they bore and alliances they might facilitate. They seldom interacted or were exposed to other women in groups. In Lysistrata, Aristophanes wages a literal "battle of the sexes" against the backdrop of a country warring against itself. He contrives a farce in which the male dominated structure of Greek society is challenged by females using sex as their only weapon.

Special Thanks to:
Thimios Zaharophoulus and Marios Sophocleus for their assistance on all thing Hellenic; Peter Jouras for teaching us to dance!; Ronnie and Sufi for their warmth and generosity; Michael Nelson for memories of Frajahem; Lynn Wilson and Tess Gay.

This production is entered in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF).
Last year more than 1,100 productions and 20,000 students participated in the American College Theater Festival nationwide.
By entering this production, our department is sharing in the KCACTF goals to help college theater grow and to focus attention on the exemplary work produced in college and university theaters across the nation.

The Cast
Lysistrata. . . . . Natalie McComas
Guard. . . . . Dustin Smith
Kalonike. . . . . Joshua Dixon
Kinesiasn. . . . . Tyler Poole
Lampito. . . . . Carl Dillman
Myrrhine. . . . . Mary Shirazi
Commissioner. . . . . Cameron J. Kieffer
Koryphaios. . . . . Lori Bogner, Marianne Kearns
Chorus. . . . . LaToria Colston, Scott Spacek, Frank Meadows, Monica Gutierrez

Production Staff
Director . . . . . Penny Weiner
Set Design . . . . . Tony Naylor
Lighting Design. . . . . Sarah Ross
Costume Design . . . . . Sharon Sullivan
Sound Design. . . . . . Robert Baker, Candice Baker
Choreography . . . . . Lori Bogner
Technical Director. . . . . Tony Naylor
Assistant Director/Stage Manager. . . . . Jason Puff
Scenic Studio Supervisor. . . . . Lynn Wilson
Dramaturg. . . . . Candice Baker
Lysistrata Art. . . . . Barbara Watermann Peters
Publicity. . . . . Paul Prece
Box Office. . . . . Paul Prece
Theatre Shop/Crew. . . . . Jason Puff, Monica Gutierrez, Jason Jones, Dustin Smith, Roger Childers,
Jency Hayne, Verena Jantschgi, Robin Osterhaus,
Ian Buckland, Michelle Brown, Chin-Hsing Kuo,
Aaron Mays, Langie Withers, Victoria Torres,
Brent Kumorowski

Comedy (komoidia) was the last of the major dramatic forms to be accepted into the City of Dionysia dramatic festival honoring Dionysus in 487 B.C. All of the comedies remaining from the fifth century are by a single author, Aristophanes (c. 448-c.380). The most noteworthy characteristic of Aristophanic comedy is its commentary on society, politics, theater and the Peloponnesian War. Farcical situations and fantasy abound and considerable emphasis is placed on the pleasures of eating, drinking, sex, wealth and leisure.