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Rust Belt opens with Greek trilogy
By MILAN PAURICH
The most ambitious theatrical undertaking of the season — a trilogy of plays based on the classic Greek dramas “Electra,” “Medea” and “Antigone” — kicks off this weekend as the debut attraction of Robert Dennick Joki’s nascent Rust Belt Theater Company. Each play will be performed separately as a stand-alone production (“Electra” runs through July 17, “Medea” opens July 30, and “Antigone” is scheduled for an Aug. 20 premiere). During a recent interview, Joki discussed the genesis of the project, and why he thinks the classics are still relevant to contemporary audiences.
Q. What made you decide to tackle the Greek tragedies? And why now?
A. I’ve wanted to try my hand at adapting classic Greek drama for a long time. We don’t see a lot of the classics in this area outside of the university setting. Summer is the best time to do something like this because summer audiences tend to be on the smaller side, and this kind of theater is royalty free and fairly low budget. I chose “Electra,” “Medea” and “Antigone” because they all have really strong roles for women. I’ve worked with some amazing actresses over the last few years, and this will give me a chance to not only work with some of them again, but actually write for specific performers. A few months ago I worked with Molly Galano on “Wit.” Now, as I write the dialogue for “Medea,” I have Molly’s voice in my head so I can write according to her strengths. In our current show, I’ve cast Terri Labedz as Electra and Grace Vouvalis as Clytemnestra. I’ve worked with both of them separately and have always wanted to get them together on stage.
Q. Have you always been interested in Sophocles and Euripedes? Aside from the stark, primal quality of the dramas — and the great female lead characters — what is it about the tragedies that speaks to you as a playwright/director?
A. I love the raw, human emotion in the writings of Sophocles and Euripedes. I also love the idea of using a Greek Chorus to interact with the characters. It adds another dimension to the playwriting. The chorus can represent the voice of reason, the voices of the dead, actual characters in the play, opposing viewpoints in a character’s mind, or they can even represent the voices of the gods. That’s another thing that intrigues me. The gods don’t weigh in much as a factor in modern drama. It’s a whole other viewpoint that needs to be considered — what the gods want, who they favor and who they don’t.
Q. Have you updated the plays, or are they still fairly close to the originals in terms of setting/plot? And how do you make the tragedies relevant to contemporary audiences?
A. So far, the story lines have remained pretty much intact. What I’ve mostly done is update the dialogue to make it more accessible to a modern audience. “Electra” still has a very classical feel — I wrote a lot of it in verse. “Medea” strays more from the classical style, and “Antigone” will have an almost futuristic feel. As I write these shows, it amazes me how many of their issues — broken families, sibling rivalry, corruption in politics and religious persecution — are still very topical and relevant today.
Q. You’re using the Scrap Heap sculptures of local artist Daniel Horne for scenic design in “Electra.” What other artists’ works will be showcased in the trilogy, and what sort of connection/link are you hoping to find between the artwork and the plays themselves?
A. I’m a huge fan of both the Artists of the Mahoning Commons and the Artists of the Rust Belt. I’m especially impressed by artists who use found items to create beautiful artwork. As a theater director in a small town, I’m no stranger to making something out of nothing. What I’m hoping to create this summer is sort of a living art exhibit. For “Electra,” I’ve used Daniel Horne’s sculptures as inspiration for the set and costumes. I’m using Marcie Roepke-Applegate’s jewelry for “Medea” and Tony Nicholas’ photography for “Antigone.” My long-term goal is to make this a summer tradition with local artists. I’d like to do something like (Shakespeare’s) “Titus Andronicus” next summer, and I’d love to use the artwork of Jason VanHoose or Nea Bristol.
Q. Who’s acting in the shows? Except for the leads, will you be using the same ensemble cast in all three productions?
A. Besides Labedz and Vouvalis, the “Electra” cast includes Nathan Beagle, Nicole Zayas, Gerri Sullivan, Sam Luptak Jr, Tom Smith and Richard Morrow. I’m currently auditioning for “Medea,” but I know several members of the “Electra” company will be returning for other shows. Tom Smith is playing Jason to Galano’s Medea, and Labedz has already expressed interest in playing Antigone’s (Candy Dillulo) sister, Ismene.
Q. Are the plays being staged as theater in the round or with a more conventional seating arrangement?
A. The more intimate “Electra” and “Medea” will have conventional setups. “Antigone” will be the largest of the shows, and I’m hoping that it can be staged in the round. I’m limiting the size of the audience to 40 people at each performance, so It’s very important to reserve tickets in advance.