PHILOMELE from The Love of the Nightingale

Title

PHILOMELE from The Love of the Nightingale

Creator

PLAYWRIGHT: Timberlake Wertenbaker

Director

DIRECTOR: Shirley Serotsky, M.F.A. Directing Candidate

Contributor

Set Designer: Jonathan Dahm Robertson

Costume Designer: Gail Stewart Beach

Lighting Designer: Tom Donahue

Sound Designer: Evan Cook

Date

November 16-19, 2017

Abstract

A timely and timeless update of the ancient Greek myth of Philomel. Sisters Procne and Philomel –separated by marriage and miles—until terrible circumstances finally bring them back together. In a shocking act of retribution the sisters exact revenge on the man who abused them both, continuing a tragic cycle of violence that can only be interrupted by the gods.

Description

PHILOMEL MYTH: With Greek and Roman variations, Philomela was mutilated and raped by her sister’s husband, King Tereus. The sisters exact revenge and the gods transformed them into birds.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS: The three main characters (Procne, Philomele, and Tereas) all turn into birds at the end of the myth in about 15-20 seconds. Our choice was to make them kites, each of which reflected the bird they represented and their last costume of the show. Philomele’s “kite” became a puppet because it needed to talk to the young boy more intimately. [Gail Beach, emailed dated 9/5/18]