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Myrrhina, played by Mikalyn Reif, teases her husband, Cinesias, played by Randall Marks,to try and convince him to stop the war in a scene from "Lysistrata." |
One of the oldest written comedies in the world – “and still one of the funniest,” according to a University of Arkansas – Fort Smith official – will be reenacted on the stage of the Breedlove Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23-25 and 27-28.
“Lysistrata” will be performed by Theatre @ UAFS as part of the university’s Season of Entertainment 36, a yearlong lineup of entertainment sponsored by UAFS featuring a variety of plays, musicals and symphonic performances.
Led by student director David Harris of Cabot, the performance is an adaptation of Aristophanes’ play chronicling Athens women’s efforts to end the Peloponnesian War by withholding sex from their husbands and lovers. This version of the play, however, changes the setting from ancient Greece to Chicago during the Roaring ‘20s.
The show is recommended for ages 16 and older due to sexual comedy.
“When you do a play where the main conflict is wives withholding sex from their husbands, then it’s the main topic of conversation of the show,” said Theatre @ UAFS Director Bob Stevenson. “So, all the jokes, most of the discussion, and a fair amount of the physical comedy are, of course, about sex. It’s hilarious stuff, but probably not for our youngest audience members.”
Stevenson added that the show’s humor is timeless.
“The play itself is 2,400 years old, and it’s amazing both how funny and topical a play that old can be,” Stevenson said. “It’s extremely funny – like bust-a-gut, roll-in-the-aisles funny. Many of the same jokes are in movies like ‘Anchorman’ or ‘Bridesmaids.’ It just goes to show that comedy hasn’t changed that much – what is funny about us is our humanity.”
Cast and crew include:
Alma: Kaylee Gembica.
Charleston: Katilin McKellip and Zeke Sidwell.
Fayetteville: Nicole Hutcheson and Molly Tennison.
Fort Smith: Randell Marks and Sasha Yedrysek.
Greenwood: Gabby Carter.
Lavaca: Kaitlyn Lichti, Jacob Price and Jackalynn Self.
Mena: Naomi Ponthieux.
Paris: Sarah Koch.
Poteau, Okla.: Mikalyn Reif and Averie Warren.
Sallisaw, Okla.: Andrew Duch.
Spiro, Okla.: Breanna Carter.
The Breedlove Auditorium is located at 5120 Grand Ave. Tickets are $6 for general admission and free to UAFS students, faculty and staff. For tickets, visit www.tickets.uafs.edu or contact the UAFS Box Office at 479-788-7300.
For more information about “Lysistrata,” contact Stevenson at 479-788-7303 or bob.stevenson@uafs.edu.
About the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith
The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith is the premiere regional institution of Western Arkansas, connecting education with careers and serving as a driver of economic development and quality of place in the greater Fort Smith region. Through a small campus, dedicated professors, and the university’s unique bond with its community, students at UAFS are able to do more in the areas they are passionate about, both on- and off-campus, in a way that prepares them for post-graduate success. To find out how you can do more at UAFS, visit www.uafs.edu.