Brock University’s Dramatic Arts program is adapting Ovid’s Metamorphoses for this semester’s mainstage production.
Every semester, the Dramatic Arts (DART) program at Brock puts on a mainstage production showcasing the talents of the university’s students and faculty. For many students, the mainstage is their first opportunity to work in a professional theatre setting, allowing them to gain important skills they could only get through firsthand experience.
This semester, Brock University’s DART mainstage is Metamorphoses.
Originally written by playwright Mary Zimmerman, Metamorphoses is an award-winning adaptation of a narrative poem written by Ovid, a Roman poet exiled by Augustus in 8 CE. Considered to be Ovid’s magnum opus, Metamorphoses outlines the history of the world from its very creation until the deification of Julius Caesar over the course of 250 myths, 15 books and 11,995 lines.
In an interview with Brock News, Gillian Raby, a retired Brock DART Associate Professor and the director of the production, said that “Mary Zimmerman’s adaption [of Metamorphoses] shows how powerless people are empowered through Ovid’s stories.”
Elliot Barron, a DART student who plays Midas, Erysichthon and Baucis in the production, told The Brock Press that they thought “every story in this show has a unique and valuable lesson… Whether it be the importance of family or the dangers of greed, the text remains relevant and important, and I believe these characters will be powerfully relatable and resonant.”
“The word metamorphoses means a series of changes and transformations,” says Barron. “[It] can happen to people, but also places, things and stories. All of that is represented in our show.”
Setting itself apart from other DART mainstage productions, Metamorphoses’ unique set design revolves around a pool of water. DART Technical Director Gavin Fearon told Brock News that the use of water has impacted every element of the show.
“Students in every role are navigating challenges introduced by the water. The costumes team in particular [needs] to track wet and dry quick changes in under 30 seconds.”
Barron also cites this set design element as contributing to the production’s distinctive nature.
“I think the audience has a lot to look forward to […] The ways in which this water is used varies between stories but is always exciting and a real spectacle to watch.”
They also said that the unique structure of the story makes the show incredibly special.
“The ensemble cast is required to play multiple roles across multiple stories and thus have complicated quick changes and contrasting energy, physicality and objectives to think about,” says Barron. “All of this is presented in the style of story or reader’s theatre, in which there are narrators that share information directly with the audience and actors might interact with them as well. The fourth wall is there, but it’s more bendable than most shows.”
Beyond the technical elements of the production, Metamorphoses has provided the students working on it with a wealth of knowledge, support and encouragement. Barron says that this environment has allowed them to “do the best work [they have] ever done as an actor.”
But for Barron, the best part of the experience has been the community they’ve built.
“The cast is very connected, and we all relish each other’s company on- and off-stage. It’s been a beautiful thing, getting to build this show with these people as well as building a sense of trust and found family among one another.”
The show opened on Feb. 28 and will run until March 8, with shows on March 1 and March 7 and 8 at 7:30 p.m., and a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on March 2. General admission tickets for “Metamorphoses” are $25, with a reduced price of $20 for students and seniors.
Update: The March 7 morning showing of the performance was cancelled. Students who purchased tickets for this showing can get a full refund here. Additionally, if you purchased tickets to the cancelled morning showing, you can get a free ticket for one of the other show times listed above by using the coupon code “METcancellation” at checkout when purchasing tickets.
Tickets can be purchased here.