OLYMPIANS
The San Francisco Olympians Festival
Like a Pandora's box of plays, leaving all who attend with hope for independent theatre.
In the month of July in 2010, No Nude Men Productions, one of San Francisco’s longest running indy theater troupes, will roll out twelve new full-length plays written by fourteen local writers, each one focusing on one of the twelve Olympian gods of Ancient Greece.
Generated over the course of a year (writers were picked from a larger pool of applicants in September of 2009), the plays range from wild comedies to elegant period pieces, terrifying horror stories to contemporary satires, romantic dramas to political commentaries. The one great unifier will be the goddess Hestia, the twelfth Olympian who gave up her throne to the young god Dionysus when he came to Olympus seeking his place amongst his peers. A vital figure of Greek culture (she was the goddess of fire, the hearth and home), there is little mythology focused around Hestia until now, when she will step to the front of the line as the patron goddess of the Festival, and a supporting character in each of the twelve plays.
Every one of the twelve Olympians will get their own night, during which the play dedicated to them will be given a staged and rehearsed reading at the Exit Stage Left by some of the best and brightest of the San Francisco acting scene. Additionally, the theater itself will contain an ongoing exhibit of twelve original, themed art pieces being generated for the show’s publicity by twelve local artists. Additional mythology themed displays and a chance to winning a prize or two will complete each evening.
Truly a unique event, the festival will be a reminder of the still potent vitality of Greek mythology and its continued significance not only as cultural roots, but as cultural mirror as well.
The plays, dates and authors:
DIONYSUS by Nathan Tucker, July 8th
An esoteric mystery cult in San Francisco invokes the godhead of an ancient deity, manifesting his presence and unleashing the Wrath of Dionysus
APOLLO by Garret Groenveld, July 9th
Apollo's Gift - that of foresight - was given to Cassandra out of love and proves the undoing of their chances.
POSEIDON by Bryce Allemann, Dana Constance and Kathy Hicks, July 10
Fish speak because they have something to say; Gods because they have to say something.
HERMES by Ben Fisher, July 15
The sudden death of a key negotiator and the influence forces both mundane and divine throw a San Francisco financial corporation into disarray.
ARTEMIS by M.R. Fall, July 16
By escaping to the beach, Artemis thought she would outrun the clouds of dread building inside her; little did she know a storm was waiting for her along the shore…
ZEUS by Helen Noakes, July 17
If Zeus is your daddy does it make you a delightful delusional, a delicious demigod, or just plain fabulous? Zeus Story tells all!
DEMETER by Claire Ann Rice, July 22
Anyone who knew the rituals have paid the ferryman for passage elsewhere and all that is left are Goddesses without believers, prayers without answers, and mothers without children.
APHRODITE by Nirmala Nataraj, July 23
In this dark comedy about the lengths women will go to for love and acceptance, a washed-out infomercial star confronts her demons through dating mishaps, plastic surgery, and mysterious visitations from the paragon of feminine allure—Aphrodite herself.
ARES by Sean Kelly, July 24
Bill is due to ship out on a Third-World peace-keeping mission when he accidentally makes a sacrifice to Ares, God of Bloodlust. Together they turn a basic military action into a violent quest for revenge.
ATHENA by Ashley Cowan, July 29
While trying to balance her rational intelligence and notions of romance, Athena finds herself in a personal exploration fueled by the timeless question: can only fools fall in love or can it also exist among reason and logic?
HERA by Stuart Bousel, July 30
A Victorian-Era parlor drama about the perfect wife and mother, and the secrets which threaten to destroy her extensively engineered domestic bliss.
HEPHAESTUS by Evelyn Jean Pine, July 31
The world of Hephaestus, god of fire and volcanoes, erupts when his creations -- three gorgeous, golden robots -- revolt.
All readings will occur at the Exit Stage Left in San Francisco (156 Eddy Street) at 8 PM. Admission: $10.00 per reading (if you attend 4, you get the 5th one free). Reservations are not necessary, but we recommend getting to the theater at 7:30 to ensure good seating.
Like a Pandora's box of plays, leaving all who attend with hope for independent theatre.
In the month of July in 2010, No Nude Men Productions, one of San Francisco’s longest running indy theater troupes, will roll out twelve new full-length plays written by fourteen local writers, each one focusing on one of the twelve Olympian gods of Ancient Greece.
Generated over the course of a year (writers were picked from a larger pool of applicants in September of 2009), the plays range from wild comedies to elegant period pieces, terrifying horror stories to contemporary satires, romantic dramas to political commentaries. The one great unifier will be the goddess Hestia, the twelfth Olympian who gave up her throne to the young god Dionysus when he came to Olympus seeking his place amongst his peers. A vital figure of Greek culture (she was the goddess of fire, the hearth and home), there is little mythology focused around Hestia until now, when she will step to the front of the line as the patron goddess of the Festival, and a supporting character in each of the twelve plays.
Every one of the twelve Olympians will get their own night, during which the play dedicated to them will be given a staged and rehearsed reading at the Exit Stage Left by some of the best and brightest of the San Francisco acting scene. Additionally, the theater itself will contain an ongoing exhibit of twelve original, themed art pieces being generated for the show’s publicity by twelve local artists. Additional mythology themed displays and a chance to winning a prize or two will complete each evening.
Truly a unique event, the festival will be a reminder of the still potent vitality of Greek mythology and its continued significance not only as cultural roots, but as cultural mirror as well.
The plays, dates and authors:
DIONYSUS by Nathan Tucker, July 8th
An esoteric mystery cult in San Francisco invokes the godhead of an ancient deity, manifesting his presence and unleashing the Wrath of Dionysus
APOLLO by Garret Groenveld, July 9th
Apollo's Gift - that of foresight - was given to Cassandra out of love and proves the undoing of their chances.
POSEIDON by Bryce Allemann, Dana Constance and Kathy Hicks, July 10
Fish speak because they have something to say; Gods because they have to say something.
HERMES by Ben Fisher, July 15
The sudden death of a key negotiator and the influence forces both mundane and divine throw a San Francisco financial corporation into disarray.
ARTEMIS by M.R. Fall, July 16
By escaping to the beach, Artemis thought she would outrun the clouds of dread building inside her; little did she know a storm was waiting for her along the shore…
ZEUS by Helen Noakes, July 17
If Zeus is your daddy does it make you a delightful delusional, a delicious demigod, or just plain fabulous? Zeus Story tells all!
DEMETER by Claire Ann Rice, July 22
Anyone who knew the rituals have paid the ferryman for passage elsewhere and all that is left are Goddesses without believers, prayers without answers, and mothers without children.
APHRODITE by Nirmala Nataraj, July 23
In this dark comedy about the lengths women will go to for love and acceptance, a washed-out infomercial star confronts her demons through dating mishaps, plastic surgery, and mysterious visitations from the paragon of feminine allure—Aphrodite herself.
ARES by Sean Kelly, July 24
Bill is due to ship out on a Third-World peace-keeping mission when he accidentally makes a sacrifice to Ares, God of Bloodlust. Together they turn a basic military action into a violent quest for revenge.
ATHENA by Ashley Cowan, July 29
While trying to balance her rational intelligence and notions of romance, Athena finds herself in a personal exploration fueled by the timeless question: can only fools fall in love or can it also exist among reason and logic?
HERA by Stuart Bousel, July 30
A Victorian-Era parlor drama about the perfect wife and mother, and the secrets which threaten to destroy her extensively engineered domestic bliss.
HEPHAESTUS by Evelyn Jean Pine, July 31
The world of Hephaestus, god of fire and volcanoes, erupts when his creations -- three gorgeous, golden robots -- revolt.
All readings will occur at the Exit Stage Left in San Francisco (156 Eddy Street) at 8 PM. Admission: $10.00 per reading (if you attend 4, you get the 5th one free). Reservations are not necessary, but we recommend getting to the theater at 7:30 to ensure good seating.
posted by Stuart Bousel | 4:35 PM
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