Mary Zimmerman, back at Seattle Repertory Theatre for the second time in 2000, ends the run of her Odyssey Nov. 18. The adaptation of Homer's epic poem began performances Oct. 16 with an opening Oct. 23.
The Odyssey, adapted and directed by Zimmerman (The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, Journey to the West), is based on Homer's epic of the life of Odysseus, King of Ithaca and conqueror of Troy. Away from home for twenty years, the warrior struggles to find his way back, encountering the Cyclops, the sirens, the witch Circe who turns Odysseus' men into swine and takes him as her lover, several souls in Hades including a soothsayer and Odysseus' own mother, and the great god of the sea Poseidon before reuniting with his son and returning to his beloved wife Penelope. The Odyssey had its world premiere at the Goodman Theatre, then traveled on to New Jersey's McCarter Theatre.
Zimmerman first came to Seattle Rep in February with her Metamorphoses. Metamorpheses won the 2000 Los Angeles Ovation Award for Best Play.
Christopher Donahue (The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci) stars as Odysseus. Also in the 21 person cast are Anjali Bhimani (Calypso), Mariann Mayberry (Athena), Louise Lamson (Circe), Mark Alhadeff (Telemachus), Christina Apathy (Nausica), Kevin Bott, Duane Boutte (Neoman), Mario Campanaro (Hermes), Anna Gitzwater, Andrew Grusetskie, Kyle Hall (Hermes), Julanne Chidi Hill, Lou Helter (Laertes), Felicity Jones (Penelope), Christian Kauffmann (Zeus), Natasha Kelly (Eurycleia), Michael A. Patten (Menelaus), Paul Oakley Stovall (Posedian), Gary Wingert (Eumaeus) and Dexter Zollicoffer (Alcinous).
The design team features Dan Ostling (sets), Mara Blumenfeld (costumes), T.J. Gerckens (lighting) and Michael Bodeen (sound). Performances began Oct. 16 for a run through Nov. 18. Tickets are $42 $15. Seattle Repertory Theatre is located in the Seattle Center at the corner of Second Avenue and Mercer Street. For reservations, call (206) 443-2222. Seattle Repertory Theatre is on the web at http://www.seattlerep.org.
