The Minnesota State University, Mankato Department of Theatre & Dance will restage its November production, Homer’s classic journey tale “The Odyssey,” on Saturday, Jan. 15.
The special performance will be in advance of taking it to Iowa State University for the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for a Wednesday, Jan. 19, performance. The Jan. 15 performance will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Ted Paul Theatre of the Performing Arts Center.
Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door beginning at 6:30 p.m.; there will be a 2-for-1 price available for current Minnesota State Mankato faculty/staff and students showing a current ID.
“The Odyssey” was chosen from close to 200 productions to be presented at the festival. In addition, 13 Theatre & Dance students will compete as KCACTF Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship nominees after being selected from shows presented in 2010.
The last time Minnesota State Mankato was invited to present a production was in 2007, when Department Chair Paul J. Hustoles directed “Mint,” an original show written by then-MFA student Randy Wyatt. Hustoles also directed “The Odyssey.”
The creative team includes faculty emeritus Tom Bliese as scenic designer, Minnesota State Mankato Masters in Music graduate Michael Croswell as music composer and performer, and current faculty members Steven Smith, lighting, and David McCarl, costumes. Bliese and Croswell were Nadine B. Andreas Guest Artists.
The epic story mainly centers on the Greek hero Odysseus (or Ulysses, as he was known in Roman myths) and his 10-year journey home following the 10-year Trojan War. In his absence, it is assumed he has died, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of unruly suitors competing for Penelope’s hand in marriage. This classic tale is vibrantly brought to life in this retelling by Mary Zimmerman, author of “Metamorphoses,” which Minnesota State Mankato presented in 2004 in a pool of water created in the Andreas Theatre.
The title character is portrayed by Clayton Oliver Rutschow, an Irene Ryan nominee for his role as “Nick” in Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”. Other current Irene Ryan nominees in the cast are Joseph B. Crook, Dustin Jackson and Deanne McDonald from “The Odyssey”; Laura Otremba (“Chicago”); Kim Steffen and Megan Volkman-Wilson (“42nd Street”); David Wasylik and Anthony DePoto (“On the Razzle”); and J. Alexander Coe (“Twelfth Night”).
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