‘Eurydice’ is another side of the Orpheus story

The UTC Theatre Co. will kick off its 2016-17 season with Sarah Ruhl’s “Eurydice.” Written in 2003, “Eurydice” is a retelling of the classic Greek myth Orpheus from the perspective of his wife, Eurydice.

“‘Eurydice’ is a play about loss, memory and growing up,” says director Gaye Jeffers. “Sarah Ruhl explores the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice from the woman’s point of view and introduces a new character, the Father, into the story. This addition creates a unique and quirky world where a conflict of loss is explored both in the land of the living and the land of the dead.”

Jeffers describes the play as “a poetic journey that is both contemporary and timeless.” The UTC Theatre Company production explores themes that continue to influence day-to-day lives in the modern era.

“I think that we have somehow lost the skill of grieving in our world,” Jeffers says. “In our world we stumble over and around death and disappointment, forgetting that death is part of life and must ultimately be faced by us all.”

The Underworld in the UTC Theatre Company production has a man-made quality that mocks nature, horror movies and Willie Wonka, Jeffers says, allowing for a whimsical interpretation of love and death.

“Humor in the Underworld can show up just when you least expect it,” Jeffers says. “Just as in life above ground.”