Charles L. Mee’s “Big Love” will open at the Harold and Sylvia Greenberg Theatre on Feb. 11 at 8 p.m.
Based on Aeschylus’ classic Greek drama, “The Suppliant Women,” the AU production focuses on the story of 50 Greek brides that seek refuge in an Italian villa after escaping from their homes and their arranged marriages the night before their weddings.
Isaiah M. Wooden, an assistant professor of Performing Arts at AU, serves as the director of the production, but his resume extends beyond theatre. Wooden holds a Ph.D. in Theater and Performance Studies from Stanford University and has contributed writing in academic journals. He also earned distinction as a winner of the Ford Foundation Fellowship. Though actors are the backbone of any performance, with a director like Wooden, the production quality of “Big Love” is likely to be top notch.
“Big Love” will only feature 12 performers, creating a sense of intimacy and familiarity for the members of the cast. As the show goes on, the small number of actors hope to bring pain, happiness and love from the show to the crowd and connect with the audience through every act. They also tend to be the most humorous, like Theatre J’s recent production of Sisters Rosensweig.
According to the online AU Arts calendar, the play will attempt to answer the question of “Just what is love?,” while exploring themes of gender, justice, marriage and power. With the promise of mayhem, wit and music, “Big Love” will surely be a humorous and artfully dramatic production.
Tickets are $10 for students, seniors and the AU community, or $15 for general admission. Other performances will be held on Feb. 12 and Feb 13.
