Black Ophelia, a ballad opera by Lainie Marsh, is a necessary retelling of Hamlet taking issue with the acceleration of White Supremacy, Violence Against Women, and degradation of the natural world. In this second installment of her Mermaid Asylum trilogy, Marsh continues to examine the historical destructiveness of coal consumption, more particularly here through the lens of race and gender. Blending Shakespeare with current events, mythology, history, and environmental advocacy, the story of Black Ophelia chronicles the defilement of the natural world from an ecofeminist perspective, one which suggests that predatory behavior toward nature is mirrored by predatory behavior toward the feminine, especially toward women of color.
Presented at the Looby Theater on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at 7:30 pm, as part of the Women’s Work Festival of the Tennessee Women’s Theater Project
Cast includes Aija Penix in the title role, James Rudolph as Polonius, Andy Kanies as Claudius, and Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva as the FisherQueen of the Seychelles.
Photo: Aija Penix is Black Ophelia
Photo Credit: Beth Gwinn
