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Geneology for the Oresteia

Pelops, Lord of Argos

' / Atreus Thyestes

\ ~enelaos -- Helen Agamemnon Clytemnestra Aegis thus

Iphegenia Electra

(sole survivor of Thyestes' culinory kids.)

Orestes

The Gods:

ZEUS: Son of Kronos. Brother and husband of Hera. Most Powerful God.

Hermes: Messenger god , son of Zeus.

Apollo : Son of Zeus and Leto; Chief Protector of the Trojans

in the Illiad.

Athene: Daughter of Zeus. (Sprung from Zeus's head-­

has no mother) Protectress of Achaians--particularly

-SPONSORS-

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph R. Coursey James G. DeMartini Daniel L. & Gloria George Mr. & Mrs. Thomas W. Johnson

-PATRONS-

Dr. & Mrs. Richard Coss Joy A. Bovingdon Cox Mr. & Mrs. Albert P. Hahn Jr. Lee E. Preston Mr. & Mrs. John Rossoni Putnam & Scholes, Ink. Dr. & Mrs. Bradford B. Schwartz

-DONORS-

Mrs. Eugenia Brasaccio Jesse M. Clark Eloise Peeke Collingwood Burton & Ellen Dempster Mr. & Mrs. William T. Dougherty Mr. & Mrs. Robert Duncan R. H. Huelsebusch Mr. & Mrs. Lyndell e H. Hume Dr. G. Bowdit ch Hunter Mr. & Mrs. H. J. McCoy James McMahon Mr. & Mrs. William J. O'Brien Mr. & Mrs. B. Carter Randall Dr. & Mrs. Frank S. Santamour Jr . Anthony J. Schiavo Mr. & Mrs. H.W. Schultz S. V. Stiles '54 Mr. & Mrs. R. W. Sauer, Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Allen Weingarten

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195 Main Street

State Circle

Dick Mason Printing Co.

yummy 1n the

tummy 164 Main Street

The King Will iam Players of

St. John 's College

present

Aesch ylus

Oresteia Directed by

Robert Butman

English Ve rsion by

Richmond Lattimore

Scenery DesiRned by Costumes Designed by

Jeffrey Crigler Holly Johnson

April 28 & 29, a:oo pm

FSK Audi tori urn

Smoking and the consumptlol'l of beverages Is prohibited In the theater proper.

For your own safety, please check the location of emergency fins exits.

I - Agamemnon

Watchman-------------------Michael Coss Clytaemnestra--------------Kathryn Ranniger Herald---------------------Richard Campbell Agamemnon------------------James White Cassandra------------------Danielle George Aegisthus------------------Michael David Blume Chorus: Elders of Argos------------Kathryn Kominars

Eileen Renno Lynn Gumert James DeMartini Doug Venable Harry Zolkower

II - The Libation Bearers

Electra--------------------Julie Boaz Orestes--------------------Steven Barkhimer Pylades--------------------Abe Schoener Clytaemnestra--------------Kathryn Ranniger Cilissa--------------------Caroline Dorn Aegisthus------------------Michael David Blume Follower of Aegisthus------Michael Coss Chorus: Gentlemen of Argos---------Eric C. Marx

Mark Krinock Kenneth Kirby

Serving Women--------------Mary Williams Maggie Argent Terri-Ann Hahn

III - The Eumenides

Apollo---------------------Anthony Cox Orestes--------------------Steven Barkhimer Shade of Clytaemnestra-----Kathryn Ranniger Athena --------------------Kimberly Schra{ Chorus: The Furies----Liz Tarr Sharon McMahon

Lisa O'Brien Charlotte Murphy Eileen Renno Marilou Carlson

Kathryn Kominars

-Production Staff-

Assistant Directors--------Tony Sanders Lauren Crigler Pattie Pratt

Technical Director---------Jef frey Crigler

Production Director--------Michael Huhn

Set Construction Crew:

Mark Mihelic Marco Acosta David Smithka Scott Buchanan Lisa Pennypacker Kathryn Kominars Mark Krinock

Kris Shapar Andrew Steed Jef f Harter James ~fuite John Bennett Wendell Pinner Chris Butler

Stage Manager--------------Kris Shapar

Stage Crew:

Steven Cramer Evan Canter David Stein John Bennett

David Wolfe· Sandy Dornich Becky Krafft

Ed La Fave

Lighting-------------------Justin Anderson Michael Houston

Costume Mistress-----------Holly Johnson

Costume Crew:

Margaret Schwecke Caroline Darn Pattie Pratt Janet Durholz

Lauren Crigler Leslie Lewis Anne Dutton

Props Mistress-------------Marion Betor

Props Crew: David Stein

Choral Assistant------------------Pat Dunn

House Manager--------------------- Douglas Twigg

Publicity Manager------------ -----Douglas Twigg

Publicity: Daniel Van Doren Fred Cox Eileen Renno

Martin Miller Sally Huelsebusch Lisa O'Brien

Make-up---------------------------Patricia Sowa Sally Huelsebusch

Ushers: Ellen Minerva Catherine Nelson Rachael O'Keefe

Nancy Schauber Laura Shach Paul Conley

(Usher Archon)

Program---------------------------James White Pattie Pratt

Special Thanks to:

Barbara Young of Rutgers for her assistance in costuming. Mr. Charles Elzey Mrs. Rebecca Wilson Mr. Chris Colby Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges

All Leather for costume acoutrements supplied by:

Daniel Raeke Leather Co. 159 Main St.

--There will be a Waltz Party after Saturday night's performance.

,,

The first play in this trilogy focuses on the murder of Agamemnon, ruler of Argos. Ten years before the play's opening scene, Agamemnon had been forced to offer his daughter, Iphegeneia, in sacrifice to the goddess Artemis. He did this to enable the Greek army to sail for Troy and rescue Helen from the hands of Priam's son Alexander (i.e. Paris). Clytaemnestra had been led to believe that Iphegeneia was to be wed to Achilles before he set sail and had prepared her for the ceremony. When she discovered the awful truth it was too late; Agamemnon had set sail and Iphegeneia was dead. All that Clytaemnestra could do was wait those ten long years with bitterness filling her heart and redoubling her hatred of Agamemnon. In the Agamemnon she vents her bloody rage taking life for life.

Of equal importance are the events which occured between Agamemnon's father and his uncle, Atreus and Thyestes. They serve as a motive for Aegisthus' conspiring with Clytaemnestra to murder Agamemnon. In Aegisthus' eyes these events justify his actions, making his role that of a savior rather than assasin. Atreus and Thyestes feuded bitterly over the right to rule the kingdom of Argos. Through intrigue with Atreus' wife, Aerope, Thyestes was able to dupe his brother into forfeiting the throne. However, his success was short-lived. With the aid of Zeus, Atreus resumed the throne and banished Thyestes.

When Atreus discovered that his ~vife had slept and conspired with Thyestes, he became enraged. He decided to make Thyestes pay as no man ever had for this cuckoldry. Atreus invited him to what appeared to be a dinner of reconciliation. It was actually the most gruesome form of retribution imaginable. Atreus butchered five of Thyestes' children, cutting off their hands, heads and feet, and prepared the bodies as the meal (Aegisthus escaped this fate because he was not yet born). When Thyestes learned the awful truth he was overcome with horror and pronounced an ineluctable curse upon the children of Atreus.

These circumstances which precede the play distinguish two separate motives for Agamemnon's murder. The other two plays present the ensuing situation in which Clytaemnestra's son, Orestes, returns from Phocis to avenge his father's death. Orestes had been sent to Phocis by his mother early in his youth; he lived there with Strophius, who was the king and father of Pylades, Orestes' companion. He returned under order of the Pythian oracle, Loxias ­(Apollo), who had commanded him to kill his mother.

The Furies, commonly referred to as the Eumenides, are the daughters of Night. Their horne is dark Tartarus beneath the ground. They are children of the original gods and have the duty to uphold the old laws which condemn rnatr~cide. Apollo and Athene are children of Zeus, hi mself the father of the third generation of gods. Zeus' children are new gods and as such represent new laws. Athene proclaims a new order when she establishes a new law for men; the establishment of a jury comprised of the best citizens to hear cases in Athens on the Aeropagus. Trial by jury is a new interpretation of legal justice. The first case heard by them is that of Orestes, a case whose outcome of reprieve for him is finally decided by the daughter of Zeus.

Tony Sanders Assistant Director

Libations for the Oresteia Our Selection at the Bar during Intermission includes:

Dewar's Scotch Whiskey ......•................. $1.50 Jack Daniel's Sour Mash Whiskey ..•.•.......... $1.50 Early Times Bourbon Whiskey .....•..•...•....•. $1.50 Seagram's V.O. Canadian Whiskey ...........•. . . $1.50 Smirnoff Vodka . .•...•..........••..•.......... $1.5 0 Tanqueray Gin. · ..•...•.......•...••..•......... $1. 7 5 Mount Gay Eclipse Rum .....•..•............••.. $1.75 House Chablis .•.............•......... . •.•.... $1.25 Lancer's Rose ...•.••.......... . .......•....... $1.50

All Served in Generous Portions

Tender of the Bar: Dana Smith Assistants: Paul Hartel, Mike Huhn, Mark Mihelic