From press release

DEKALB, Ill.—The Northern Illinois University (NIU) School of Theatre and Dance plunges headfirst into its next mainstage production, Metamorphoses.

In and around a pool of water, age-old tales of gods and man are re-imagined in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance’s production of Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses at the Stevens Building O’Connell Theatre Thursday, Feb. 18 through Sunday, Feb. 21 and Thursday, Feb. 25 through Sunday, Feb. 28.

Metamorphoses is a play based on David R. Slavitt’s free-verse translation of the narrative poem of the same title by the Roman poet Ovid. Zimmerman’s version is the modern retelling of eight Greek and Roman myths that focus on the universal themes of love, life and change. The large pool of water at center stage highlights director Ann Filmer’s artistic vision and focus on the importance of transformation in the play.

“There is nothing more visually transforming than water,” says Filmer. “It is never still, it is always moving. It is reflective, yet unlike a mirror, it shows us ourselves in movement.”

Filmer challenged the cast physically and creatively, even requiring that they utilize skills a handful of the actors learned while studying abroad with the Moscow Theatre Art School in Russia last semester.

“Directors must always use what the actors bring,” she says. “Their new skills were inspiring to the whole cast. In Russia, they learned how to be unafraid of their bodies and use them to make shapes and lifts. They learned how to bear weight on each other and trust. We are using many of these movement sequences in the show.”

Cast member Jeremy Staple said: “Working on this show, I really like how we all had a say in putting it together. Anne really gave us artistic freedom in rehearsals with letting our creative imaginations go further than what we would usually allow it to go.”

Show times are 7:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m., Sundays.

Tickets can be purchased at the Stevens Building O’Connell Theatre box office, located on the DeKalb campus behind the Pizza Hut and McDonald’s restaurants on West Lincoln Highway, from noon until 5 p.m., Monday-Thursday, noon until 2 p.m., Friday, and one hour before productions. Tickets can also be ordered by phone at (815) 753-1600, or online at www.niu.edu/theatre ^[1]. Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $8 for students.

From the Feb. 17-23, 2010 issue