Antigone bade her sister say no more. “Your choice was to live,” she said, “mine to die.” —Antigone, quoted by Edith Hamilton
The LAVA Center and playwright/director Jan Maher are thrilled to announce a special collaboration to present Maher’s play Ismene in mid-September. The project, made possible in part by the Greenfield Local Cultural Council, features Freya Andromeda in the title role and Liza Manchester as Martha.
Fans of the classic Greek tragedies may (or may not) remember Ismene as the sister of Antigone and daughter of Oedipus. Over the course of several plays penned by Greek tragedians, her parents and all three siblings die. But there is no record of Ismene’s death. In Maher’s play she has been wandering the earth looking for resolution. When she meets Martha, a shy, journal-keeping woman, she is finally able to tell her own story in her own terms.
Ismene debuted in Seattle where A. J. Mell in the Seattle Weekly characterized it as “Probing, sensitive, and accessible… rife with lyricism and unexpected humor.” Ken Freehill of Actors Equity Association called it “a brilliant script,” saying he was “thrilled to have been part of the audience.”
“I’ve wanted to do a full production of Ismene ever since we opened The LAVA Center, said Maher. “Because the set is simple—a park bench—and the cast just two, we can actually fit it into our stage area at LAVA. Funding from GLCC was the kickstart I needed to finally put it on the calendar! And because I’ve seen so many talented actresses perform in staged readings at LAVA over the past several years, I knew I could find a great cast here in the Greenfield area and I was right.”
Freya Andromeda, taking on the role of Ismene, comments, “I loved the stories I read as a kid about Greek myths — everything from tragedies, to tales of heroism, to the squabbles of the gods and goddesses. I knew the opportunity to share this forgotten story — from one of the many, many overlooked women of history — was one that I couldn’t pass up. She’s held this story within her for over 3,000 years and now has the chance to let it flow freely. Who will listen to her now? And more importantly — who will believe her?”
Liza Manchester, playing Martha whose attentive listening is the key to Ismene telling her tale, adds, “Ismene is a powerful story and I’m honored to be part of bringing this script to life.”
Kiersten Samalis, who has acted, directed, stage managed and run tech for LAVA in several projects over the past couple of years is stage manager/assistant director for Ismene.
This production of Ismene is a benefit in conjunction with LAVA’s year-end fundraising campaign. Patrons are invited to make a donation above their sliding scale ticket price ($1–$30) to support LAVA’s mission to keep the vast majority of programming free of charge or for a free-will donation.
LAVA Center Manager Vanessa Query adds, “For the last several years, LAVA has become known for its theatrical readings, which are a great way to workshop plays or present them in a more casual way. To host a full, professional production of an original play is a special treat. This will be a powerful performance to experience in our small space, and we are thrilled also to have the opportunity to include this in our fall appeal.”
Performances are Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12 and 13, 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 14, 2 p.m.
To purchase tickets, visit https://www.tixtree.com/o/lava.