Billed as a "new musical comedy," A Very Naughty Greek Play (Utopia Parkway) begins performances Feb. 25 and opens March 5 at Baruch Performing Arts Center. Performances continue to March 20.
The piece was conceived and created by Aquila, based on artistic director Peter Meineck's translation of Aristophanes' Wasps. Music is by Anthony Cochrane. The cast includes Robert Richmond, Alex Webb, Richard Willis and Cochrane.
The comedy "tells the story of the political battle between father and son," according to Aquila. "The father, obsessed with his democratic power, serves a bombastic, rabble-rousing, xenophobic politician who controls his people via sound byte, championing simplistic moral values and the concepts of 'freedom and liberty.' His son is appalled by what is happening to the father, and attempts to cure him of his vile affliction with the temptation of the 'good life' — swanky parties, fine food and wine, fashionable clothes and witty repartee. …Everything goes terribly wrong, with comically disastrous results."
According to Meineck, "Aquila is getting back to the original spirit of Aristophanes with a play that is politically offensive, lewd, rude and very naughty."
Performance schedule for A Very Naughty Greek Play from Feb. 25-March 1 is Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 5 & 9 PM, Sunday at 3 PM, and Tuesday at 8 PM. Beginning March 2, performances are Wednesday-Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 5 & 9 PM, and Sunday at 3 PM. Tickets are $45 and $25, and are available by phoning Telecharge at (212) 239-6200.
A limited number of Greek Seats (General Admission stage side seating in the style of ancient Greek Theatre where audiences may be called upon to join in with the action of the show) are available for $15.
Baruch Performing Arts Center is located at 25th Street (between Lexington & Third Avenues).
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The Aquila Theatre Company was founded in London in 1991 by Peter Meineck to present innovative productions of classical drama. Since then the company has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Europe with annual productions in New York and London. In 1999, Aquila moved to New York and has since presented thirteen productions, including Aeschylus's Agamemnon (with Olympia Dukakis); Homer's Iliad: Book One; Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello and Comedy of Errors; and Kipling's The Man Who Would be King.
Visit www.aquilatheatre.com.
