Students rehearsing in Bradley Hall.
In many ways, Metamorphoses is a show about finding balance. A balance between the ancient tales of Ovid and modern messages. A balance between experimental movement and traditional blocking. A balance between 27 actors and a dedicated crew bringing the story to life.
Needless to say, Metamorphoses is a show like no other.
It’s such a great show. It’s very different than what we’ve done in the past. Everyone’s been working really hard, coming into rehearsal every day ready to give their best work.
Owen Walton '27
Metamorphoses, an adaptation of the classic Ovid poem Metamophoses, explores ancient Greek and Roman poetry through modern situations and humor. The unique nature of the play offered myriad opportunities for students to challenge themselves to think about performance in a new way.
A major focus of the rehearsal process has been on movement. “The show is full of specific and intentional movements that emphasize the story that’s being presented on stage,” shared actor Jamie Hagerty ’27. “There’s no movement on stage that isn’t supposed to be there for a specific reason.” The complexity of this movement has challenged students off stage to reconsider how lighting and design can highlight action. As stage manager Owen Walton ’27 explained, “a large part of this is about focusing on everyone as a whole, finding moments with things like lighting and costuming to show everyone as a collective.”
My favorite part of this process has been the community—we’re all become so tight knit.
Lizzy Cohen '28
Director Michelle Leibowitz workshops a scene with students.
Doing a deep dive into Metamorphoses revealed to students just how relevant the tales of Ovid still are. “It’s really cool how prevalent all these myths are and how we still hear about them,” mentioned Jamie Hagerty ’27. “They’re still present in all the media we consume, and there’s so much that’s based upon them.” This rang true for Reid Bugbee ’28, who brought her love of Hadestown, a musical centered around the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, into the production. “Hadestown is on my AirPods 24/7, so I auditioned for Eurydice and was really nervous,” Reid shared. After being cast as her dream role, Reid challenged herself to find a new interpretation of a classic character. “I’m really excited to play her. I’m trying to make it my own.”
Metamorphoses debuts at Beaver on Thursday, November 5 at 7:00 p.m., with additional showings on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7. Tickets can be purchased here.
I think that anybody could come and see the show and enjoy it. All of the students put in so much hard work and effort. The set is amazing. The costumes are going to be amazing. I’m really proud of the work that’s been done.
Jamie Hagerty ’27