Back in May 2006, Actors Bridge Ensemble produced Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses, a modern adaptation of classical myths by Ovid that deal with transformation and used water as the unifying metaphor — a symbol of love, renewal, relationships and the essence of life.
For that singularly memorable staging, ABE installed a decent-sized pool at their site at the Neuhoff complex — one that was suitable for wading, swimming, and also for acting, with audience members sitting close enough to the action to experience a little backsplash.
Zimmerman’s play is in revival at Vanderbilt University beginning tonight, where VUTheatre technical director Matthew Stratton and set designer Phillip Franck have constructed their own pool, designed to support 2,000 gallons of water (that's almost 15,000 pounds) and fit into the Neely Auditorium stage floor. Student workers helped to remove 16 of the theater's floor traps and assisted the final installation of the pool structure.
“It is a stunningly beautiful production,” says director Leah Lowe, the Vandy theater department chair who is no stranger to big transformations in Neely Auditorium; In March, 2014, Lowe supervised How to Build a Forest, a spectacular and quite fascinating hybrid art installation/performance piece into Neely.
The Metamorphoses cast members are: Sadie Andros, Annie Bradford, William Cummings, Andrew Hey, Katherine Ko, Connor Lehr, Sam Lyons, Nick Mecikalski, Anna Meehan, Jessica Meyer, Karim Oliver, Elizabeth Pearson, Antonio Peraza, Judah Sklan and Raven Thompson.
Metamorphoses will be performed on Oct. 2-3 and Oct. 8-10 at 8 p.m., as well as on Oct. 4 at 2. For ticket info, directions, etc., visit the Vanderbilt Theatre website.
