Cast Interviews:
Josh Abler (Agamemnon) talks about how that even though this is a contemporary version there are lots of references and bridges between this show and the old version. He says the contemporary version clears up the piece for the audience and actors alike. He also mentions that many themes of this old piece from Ancient Greece like the human condition and revenge still apply today.
Sam Kassover (Embedded Reporter/Cop/Actor/Audience Member) talks about how this show is an experiment. It is an interesting idea of Professor E.J.'s and directors are always using new mediums. It's political, contemporary aspect can captivate audiences who may have trouble with the Greek language. Also, he is proud of being a cop.
Cayley Costello (Clyaemnestra) talks about how this show addresses women issues such as women as a minority. There are also women themes in this show from Ancient Greece that still apply today such as women being mocked for what they say.
Luke Jackson (Watchman/Herald/Cop/Reporter) talks about what drew him to the show. He mentioned that he'd worked with Greek material before in a class, and had heard through the grapevine that there might be a production of the Greek work Iphigenia so he'd figured it be nice to get some experience. And of course, LSA credit is always a plus!
Josh Abler (Agamemnon) talks about how that even though this is a contemporary version there are lots of references and bridges between this show and the old version. He says the contemporary version clears up the piece for the audience and actors alike. He also mentions that many themes of this old piece from Ancient Greece like the human condition and revenge still apply today.
Sam Kassover (Embedded Reporter/Cop/Actor/Audience Member) talks about how this show is an experiment. It is an interesting idea of Professor E.J.'s and directors are always using new mediums. It's political, contemporary aspect can captivate audiences who may have trouble with the Greek language. Also, he is proud of being a cop.
Cayley Costello (Clyaemnestra) talks about how this show addresses women issues such as women as a minority. There are also women themes in this show from Ancient Greece that still apply today such as women being mocked for what they say.
Luke Jackson (Watchman/Herald/Cop/Reporter) talks about what drew him to the show. He mentioned that he'd worked with Greek material before in a class, and had heard through the grapevine that there might be a production of the Greek work Iphigenia so he'd figured it be nice to get some experience. And of course, LSA credit is always a plus!
Interview with Director E.J. Westlake:
What inspired you to do this show? Specifically this modern version of the show?
E.J.: I had read the essay by Sue-Ellen Case on "classic drag" many times and wanted to stage Agamemnon to explore her ideas. I thought that I could draw out some interesting parallels between her observations and the way women in politics are treated in the media today. I am also a presidential election junkie and was fascinated by the range of analyses and the speed of news and polling updates. And every time I reread the play, I saw a new way to frame a scene. Because we have the facilities at the Duderstadt Library, we had the perfect venue to play with some of these ideas.
What do you think a modern audience can take away from this ancient piece?
E.J.: I hope people will have a better idea what the Greek attitudes were toward women in ancient times. We think of Greece as this great democracy and many of our current ideas about representative government and an unbiased justice system come from what we know of Greek institutions. However, many people don't know that these institutions excluded women and non-Greeks. In fact, the Greeks believed these people didn't even have the capacity to participate as citizens. Sadly, I think this thinking also colors our views today.
What are some challenges in preforming “Agamemnon”?
E.J.: It's a really "talky" piece. The chorus spends an inordinate amount of time mulling everything that has happened, is happening, and might happen. On the one hand, the poetry was probably beautiful, and since most of it was sung, it was probably very entertaining. But it makes it difficult to perform as an actual play.
I hear there is live audience participation incorporated into the show, can you elaborate on this?
E.J.: I have several iterations of "the chorus" and what I think are the ways in which a chorus might function today. Since the Greeks relied on the chorus to carry the message of the play and explore the pressing issues of the day in some depth, I assigned these parts to a variety of characters from modern life – talk show hosts, news analysts, film critics, etc. I wanted to bring the action to the audience by the end of the show and allow them to be the chorus themselves.
Do you have a favorite part of this show, or something you’d like the audience to look for?
E.J.: Hmm, I'm torn because each section of the show is brought to life in different and dynamic ways by this phenomenal cast. I like the moments where we blend live with mediated or where you can't really tell what is either or both sometimes. But I think our cast does amazing things throughout the show.
What would you say to an individual who comes to see the show who has never heard the “Agamemnon” story?
E.J.: The views expressed in this play are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the director, the cast, or the department. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
E.J.: It's been a lot of fun to work with this group of people on this show. I'm really proud of what we've accomplished here and I hope the people who see it enjoy it.
Thanks so much!
What inspired you to do this show? Specifically this modern version of the show?
E.J.: I had read the essay by Sue-Ellen Case on "classic drag" many times and wanted to stage Agamemnon to explore her ideas. I thought that I could draw out some interesting parallels between her observations and the way women in politics are treated in the media today. I am also a presidential election junkie and was fascinated by the range of analyses and the speed of news and polling updates. And every time I reread the play, I saw a new way to frame a scene. Because we have the facilities at the Duderstadt Library, we had the perfect venue to play with some of these ideas.
What do you think a modern audience can take away from this ancient piece?
E.J.: I hope people will have a better idea what the Greek attitudes were toward women in ancient times. We think of Greece as this great democracy and many of our current ideas about representative government and an unbiased justice system come from what we know of Greek institutions. However, many people don't know that these institutions excluded women and non-Greeks. In fact, the Greeks believed these people didn't even have the capacity to participate as citizens. Sadly, I think this thinking also colors our views today.
What are some challenges in preforming “Agamemnon”?
E.J.: It's a really "talky" piece. The chorus spends an inordinate amount of time mulling everything that has happened, is happening, and might happen. On the one hand, the poetry was probably beautiful, and since most of it was sung, it was probably very entertaining. But it makes it difficult to perform as an actual play.
I hear there is live audience participation incorporated into the show, can you elaborate on this?
E.J.: I have several iterations of "the chorus" and what I think are the ways in which a chorus might function today. Since the Greeks relied on the chorus to carry the message of the play and explore the pressing issues of the day in some depth, I assigned these parts to a variety of characters from modern life – talk show hosts, news analysts, film critics, etc. I wanted to bring the action to the audience by the end of the show and allow them to be the chorus themselves.
Do you have a favorite part of this show, or something you’d like the audience to look for?
E.J.: Hmm, I'm torn because each section of the show is brought to life in different and dynamic ways by this phenomenal cast. I like the moments where we blend live with mediated or where you can't really tell what is either or both sometimes. But I think our cast does amazing things throughout the show.
What would you say to an individual who comes to see the show who has never heard the “Agamemnon” story?
E.J.: The views expressed in this play are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the director, the cast, or the department. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
E.J.: It's been a lot of fun to work with this group of people on this show. I'm really proud of what we've accomplished here and I hope the people who see it enjoy it.
Thanks so much!
Interview with Janin Rosas
What is your position on the Agamemnon team?
Costume designer
How did you get involved with this production?
I had E.J as an professor last semester and in one of my classes she spoke about the production. It seemed like a fun and an interesting show to be apart of so I signed up.
For someone not quite familiar with the costume process could you tell us a little about it?
My job is to work with the Director to achieve a desired goal for the costumes of the production. What I did for this show was get an idea for that the director wanted each actor to wear for each scene and I went out to find the costumes that fit the mood and scene of the production
Are there any challenges specific to this show in regards tocostumes?
The only real challenge was the short amount time I had.
Do you have a favorite outfit?
Overall I love all the costumes for this show. It has been a great experience and wonderful oppurtuinty to be apart of this production.
Thank you so much!
What is your position on the Agamemnon team?
Costume designer
How did you get involved with this production?
I had E.J as an professor last semester and in one of my classes she spoke about the production. It seemed like a fun and an interesting show to be apart of so I signed up.
For someone not quite familiar with the costume process could you tell us a little about it?
My job is to work with the Director to achieve a desired goal for the costumes of the production. What I did for this show was get an idea for that the director wanted each actor to wear for each scene and I went out to find the costumes that fit the mood and scene of the production
Are there any challenges specific to this show in regards tocostumes?
The only real challenge was the short amount time I had.
Do you have a favorite outfit?
Overall I love all the costumes for this show. It has been a great experience and wonderful oppurtuinty to be apart of this production.
Thank you so much!
Interview with Janak Jha
What is your position on the Agamemnon team?
I am the lighting designer, which means I am responsible for all the lighting for the production. Essentially, this means that I decide where we are placing lights, what color they will be, and when/how they are used. By using different lights from different directions in different colors a variety of looks can be achieved.
How did you get involved with this production?
I had received several emails about it and it seemed like a great opportunity
For someone not quite familiar with the lighting design process could you tell us a little about it?
See above. The process starts with me reading the script just to get an idea of what the production is. Next, I generally go to a rehearsal to see where special lighting will be required and to get an idea of the blocking for the show. Next, I generally list out everything that I need to be able to achieve (daytime, nighttime, a big explosion, or whatever else may be required) and then list out how and with what fixtures I will achieve these looks. Using this information I then make what is called a light plot, which is a map of where each light will be hung and any accessories that go with it (for example color or patterns). Once we are in the space all the lights get hung and focused according to the light plot and paperwork that accompanies it. Lastly, as we have technical rehearsals, I wright light cues which records what lights are on when.
Are there any challenges specific to this show in regards to lighting?
The biggest challenge for this production for me is figuring out how to light each of the individual areas well without ruining the effect of the play. This project is really interesting because at any given time its only 1/3 of the audience that is actually watching the action live and the rest are watching live video feeds. This means I also have to light everything to it appears both good to the eye and the camera
Thank you so much!
What is your position on the Agamemnon team?
I am the lighting designer, which means I am responsible for all the lighting for the production. Essentially, this means that I decide where we are placing lights, what color they will be, and when/how they are used. By using different lights from different directions in different colors a variety of looks can be achieved.
How did you get involved with this production?
I had received several emails about it and it seemed like a great opportunity
For someone not quite familiar with the lighting design process could you tell us a little about it?
See above. The process starts with me reading the script just to get an idea of what the production is. Next, I generally go to a rehearsal to see where special lighting will be required and to get an idea of the blocking for the show. Next, I generally list out everything that I need to be able to achieve (daytime, nighttime, a big explosion, or whatever else may be required) and then list out how and with what fixtures I will achieve these looks. Using this information I then make what is called a light plot, which is a map of where each light will be hung and any accessories that go with it (for example color or patterns). Once we are in the space all the lights get hung and focused according to the light plot and paperwork that accompanies it. Lastly, as we have technical rehearsals, I wright light cues which records what lights are on when.
Are there any challenges specific to this show in regards to lighting?
The biggest challenge for this production for me is figuring out how to light each of the individual areas well without ruining the effect of the play. This project is really interesting because at any given time its only 1/3 of the audience that is actually watching the action live and the rest are watching live video feeds. This means I also have to light everything to it appears both good to the eye and the camera
Thank you so much!