The Nebraska Repertory Theatre opens its season this month with “Eurydice,” a poetic reimagining of the Orpheus myth by Sarah Ruhl and directed by David Long, associate professor of theatre.
Performances run through Oct. 12 in the Studio Theatre, located on the first floor of the Temple Building at 12th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit the theater's website.
“Eurydice is about love, connection and memory,” said Luka Benjamin, a senior acting major. “These themes are told through Eurydice’s relationship with Orpheus, her father, and her journey of reclaiming her memory in the underworld.”
Benjamin, who is from Superior, Nebraska, plays Big Stone, one of three stones that enforce the rules of the underworld. He said his inhuman character is protective of his family, but not brave or smart.
Danielle Stolze, a senior acting major from Omaha, plays Eurydice.
“Eurydice is an excitable young woman, newly in love,” Stolze said. “She is not naïve to the world but is still hopeful for a fairytale life. She is a person at their base self — hopeful and afraid, loving and losing, connecting deeply and constantly miscommunicating.”
Stolze said playing her is both exhausting and rewarding, challenging her in a way she has not experienced before. The two have similar life experiences, yet Stolze must separate their two identities while acting because Eurydice reacts in different ways.
Paige Fritz, a senior acting major from Papillion, plays Loud Stone, another being similar to Benjamin's character.
“Loud Stone constantly feels like she needs to prove," Fritz said. "She is military general-esque. Throughout the script, she seems to one-up her counterparts and take control. She is also very protective of her fellow stones. She is incredibly aware of what punishment could arise from Eurydice and her father’s relationship and will do anything to control and solve the issue at hand.”
Stolze praised playwright Ruhl for her hopeful take on the classic Orpheus myth, and Fritz said the relationship at the center of the story — Eurydice and her father — is her favorite part of the adaptation. Benjamin has enjoyed working with Long, the director.
An emotional roller coaster packed into less than 90 minutes, the show promises to leave audiences deeply moved.
“Audiences can expect a beautiful love tragedy that will make you feel like hugging your loved ones a little tighter,” Benjamin said. “There is so much to feel in this show — smiles, laughs, tears — all in less than 90 minutes. It’s a lovely, lovely whirlwind.”
