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1 Greek Tragedy and Its American Choruses in Open Air Theaters from 1991 to 2014: the Cases of Gorilla Theatre Productions and T Greek Tragedy and Its American Choruses in Open Air Theaters from 1991 to 2014: The Cases of Gorilla Theatre Productions and The Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Joshua Streeter, B.A. Graduate Program in Theatre The Ohio State University 2019 Thesis Committee Stratos E. Constantinidis, Advisor Benjamin Acosta-Hughes 1 Copyrighted by Joshua Aaron Streeter 2019 2 Abstract Classicists and theater scholars have long identified the chorus as a “problem” for modern directors of Greek tragedies, a recurring label which Billings, Budelmann, and Macintosh (2013) argue stems from 19th century German Idealism. This inquiry identifies the components of this “problem” and studies the solutions offered by two American theater companies: a) Gorilla Theatre Productions founded and headed by Artistic Director David Brisco Luby from 1991 to 2014 and b) The Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon originally headed by director and adaptor Keith Scales, 1993 to 2008. Using photographs, video recordings, statements by the directors, and critical performance reviews this inquiry details how the tragic chorus was realized by American theater companies for American audiences from 1991 to 2014. iii Acknowledgments The author wishes to acknowledge Dr. Stratos E. Constantinidis for his indispensable guidance on this project, and Dr. Benjamin Acosta-Hughes for his suggestions on this research. The author owes a great deal to Rebecca J. Becker for her assistance with archival material on The Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon’s productions. Finally, the author wishes to thank his wife and his family for their love and support during this work and many others. iv Vita May 2005 …………………………………..Alamosa High School 2009 ………………………………………..U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Outdoor Track Scholar-Athlete of the Year 2010 ………………………………………...B.A. Theatre, Adams State University 2013 to 2017 ………………………………..English and Theater Teacher, Alamosa High School 2017 to 2018 ………………………………..University Fellowship, The Ohio State University 2018 to Present ……………………………..Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of Theatre, The Ohio State University 2018 to Present ……………………………..Graduate Teaching Fellow, University Center for the Advancement of Teaching, The Ohio State University Fields of Study Major Field: Theatre v Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................. iv Vita ...................................................................................................................................... v List of Tables ................................................................................................................... viii List of Figures .................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Review of Literature ....................................................................................................... 3 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 12 Chapter 2. The Greek Tragedies of Gorilla Theatre Productions ..................................... 18 Formation and History of Gorilla Theatre Productions ................................................ 18 The Venues of Gorilla Theatre Productions ................................................................. 19 Gorilla Theatre Productions’ Earlier Greek Tragedies, 1991 to 2005 .......................... 24 Gorilla Theatre Productions’ Hecuba [2007] ............................................................... 27 Gorilla Theatre Productions’ The Persians [2010] ....................................................... 36 Gorilla Theatre Productions’ The Seven Against Thebes [2011] .................................. 43 Gorilla Theatre Productions’ The Suppliant Maidens [2012] ....................................... 56 Gorilla Theatre Productions’ “Final” Greek Show: Elektra [2014] ............................. 63 Chapter 3. The Greek Tragedies of The Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon ...................... 76 The Venues of The Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon .................................................. 79 The Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon’s Earlier Tragedies by Keith Scales, 1986 to 1998............................................................................................................................... 82 The Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon’s Later Tragedies by Keith Scales: Bacchae [2001], Medea [2003], Prometheus Bound [2004], Orestes [2006], and Antigone [2008] ............................................................................................................................ 90 The Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon’s tragedies by Elizabeth Huffman: Trojan Women [2009] and Oedipus the King [2010] ............................................................. 104 Chapter 4. Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 117 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 122 vi Appendix A. Gorilla Theatre Productions’ Greek Tragedies ......................................... 128 Appendix B. The Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon’s Greek Tragedies ......................... 132 vii List of Tables Table 1. Gorilla Theatre Productions’ Greek Performances and Chorus Size by Year .... 19 Table 2. The Gates, Attackers, Defenders, and Lines of Choral Responses of The Seven Against Thebes. ................................................................................................................. 48 Table 3. The Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon’s Performances and Chorus Size by Year ........................................................................................................................................... 77 viii List of Figures Figure 1. Rendered image of Charles B. Wheel Amphitheater, Kansas City MO and the ancient theater at Thorikos. ............................................................................................... 20 Figure 2. Rendered image of the southern exterior of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO and the Hellenistic theater at Hierapolis. ............................................. 23 Figure 3. A collage of Gorilla Theatre Productions’ early tragedies. ............................... 26 Figure 4. The set of Hecuba; the chorus sitting, Hecuba kneeling behind the body of Polydorus, and Agamemnon standing. ............................................................................. 29 Figure 5. Detail of choral costumes, Hecuba. ................................................................... 31 Figure 6. Set of The Persians. ........................................................................................... 38 Figure 7. The chorus summons the ghost of Darius. ........................................................ 40 Figure 8. The Ghost of Darius addresses the chorus. ....................................................... 41 Figure 9. The chorus of The Seven Against Thebes. ......................................................... 45 Figure 10. The Herald addresses the chorus in a dress rehearsal for The Seven Against Thebes. .............................................................................................................................. 47 Figure 11. The Theban princesses mourn their fallen brothers. ....................................... 53 Figure 12. The chorus of The Suppliant Maidens under the protection of Argive soldiers, on the steps of Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. ................................................................ 58 Figure 13. The Danaïdes dance on the intermediate landing. ........................................... 60 Figure 14. The Danaïdes arrested by their cousins and the Herald. ................................. 62 Figure 15. The chorus of Elektra consoles the titular princess. ........................................ 64 Figure 16. The chorus sings the first passage. .................................................................. 68 Figure 17. Elektra, the Old Man, Orestes, and the chorus intreat the deities. .................. 69 Figure 18. Cerf Amphitheater ........................................................................................... 80 Figure 19. Aerial view of Cerf Amphitheater, with Reed Lake. ....................................... 81 Figure 20. The chorus of Agamemnon looks on Clytemnestra. ........................................ 85 Figure 21. Detail of a chorus-member dancing before Agamemnon................................ 86 Figure 22. The chorus encircles Cassandra....................................................................... 87 Figure 23. The chorus of Oedipus, with the coryphaeus standing on the palace steps. .... 88 Figure 24. The chorus listens to Oedipus.......................................................................... 89 Figure 25. Collage of the chorus from Bacchae (2001)...................................................
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