Trojan Women

Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon **Photo credit: Jeanne Hackey**
September 12 - 27, 2009

Review by peanutduck

Keen aesthetic: Trojan women’s bone-colored masks hover like spectral mourning girls; ominous musical accompaniment augments tension; chorus’s graceful choreography, tuneful melodies imbued with sorrow and bewilderment. The strongest ensemble work I’ve seen by CGTO, and Jamie Rea’s torn, impassioned Andromache is literally breathtaking. Vana O’Brien as Hecuba weak, clumsy, miscast.

Antigone

Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon **Photo credit: Rebecca J. Becker**
September 6 - 28, October 5, 2008

Review by peanutduck

I’m ambivalent. Scales’ modern text is brutally blunt and forceful, drawing gasps from audience, yet sometimes overly simple, at expense of poetry, nuance. The chorus’s storytelling, strong and harmonic vocally, is frequently overshadowed by choreography, traditional but clumsy on small stage. Creon, Antigone, Haemon, and, surprisingly, Sentry, approach on-key tragedy.

Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon 2007 Season

Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon

Peace by Aristophanes

Orestes

Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon
September 24, 2006; closes October 15, 2006

A pleasant puzzle. Most interesting was Euripides’ “cheeky,” then-unorthodox approach to storytelling — why written with “grim” melodramatic beginning, “preposterous” comic ending — what dichotomy meant for original — and contemporary — audiences; and how to successfully (slyly?) play transition. No better-toned Apollo than Zane Palmer; keep eye on whatever Jonah Weston does next.

Alcestis

Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon
September 18, 2005; closes October 16, 2005

Timely, handsome production. Straightforward translation plainly staged. Enticing connection to great stories from the very roots of theatre. I was wrapped up in dialogue scenes, but not so much the declamatory orations, even if historic. Production’s authenticity would have benefited from live musicians with period instruments instead of canned accompaniment.

Electra

Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon
June 11, 2005; closes June 26, 2005

Undeveloped individual performances but still much to like from the blatant energy of director/choreographer Stefanie Sertich’s clear directorial vision. Michael Williamson’s musical accompaniment was exciting. Movement worked best when intentionally incorporated into scenes rather than as interruptive dance breaks. Effective set concept by Lawrence Larsen incorporated cool use of projection.

Prometheus Bound

Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon
September 25, 2004

Director Keith Scales brings classic myth to life with clear, contemporary translation that resonates with today’s politics, religion and society. Historic staging makes for absorbing theatre study, though more fire in the virile hands of Prometheus could’ve really lit up the production. Kam Sisco gets the message across as Hermes.