For the last 35 years, the Babcock Theatre has put on ancient Greek plays.
It is the longest-standing Greek Theatre Festival in the nation, and students from the acting department are getting the chance to be a part of it.
Stacy Sobieski, a sophomore in the Actor Training Program who plays a reporter in this year’s Greek play, “Iphigenia at Aulis,” said that she loves the idea of taking on a show from circa 400 B.C. and “relating it to today’s world so that it makes sense.”
“A lot of the shows from the past have been harder to understand and this play is quick and easy for the audience to follow along,” Sobieski said. “Iphigenia at Aulis” is a modernization of the ancient Greek play telling the story of King Agamemnon, who is torn between the commitment to the Trojan War and his love for his family.
In the play, King Agamemnon persuades his wife and daughter to follow him to Aulis, telling his daughter that her future husband, Achilles, is awaiting her arrival. King Agamemnon, however, is actually planning to sacrifice his daughter for the upcoming Trojan War.
“I think it is great for these plays to occur on campus because it is important to see how it was in the past, during those times,” said Jamie Greenland, the actress playing Iphigenia.
Greenland is a junior in the ATP. She was involved in the Greek play last year, but says she has enjoyed playing a unique character in this year’s play.
“I have such a great part in the play as Iphigenia because her role is more of a challenge, acting-wise,” Greenland said.
The play premiered Saturday, Sept. 17, on the front lawn of the Pioneer Memorial Theatre. Many students from the U attended the play because of a class requirement.
“It is a class requirement to be here but it is actually my second year coming to the Greek plays, and I think it is a treat to be able to come out and go to this,” said Laura Tingley, a freshmen majoring in psychology. Larry West, the director of “Iphigenia at Aulis,” said students and people from all over Salt Lake City and the surrounding area enjoy attending the annual Greek Festival.
“In the past, people have loved coming to plays with their blankets and coffee, ready to have a good time,” West said.
West used Sobieski’s role to modernize the play, make it easier to understand and to relate it to what is going on in today’s world.
Not everyone has positive feelings about the modernization, though.
Marina de Amorim, a sophomore majoring in biology found the change harder to understand.
“I had to see it for my mythology class my freshmen year, and I did not like (the modernization) because I thought it was hard to understand, even though it was obvious they were trying to modernize it,” de Amorim said.
The last two showings of “Iphigenia at Aulis” can be seen this weekend on Saturday and Sunday morning at 9 a.m.