Zion Theater Company Presents THE DEATH OF EURYDICE AND OTHER SHORT PLAYS, 8/10-18

Zion Theatre Company will present The Death of Eurydice and Other Short Plays at the Off Broadway Theater in Salt Lake City on August 10, 11, 13, 17, 18 at 7:30 pm. The short plays are all written by national award winning playwright Mahonri Stewart, a Utah native.

            The plays in this set have been previously performed before in various locations in Utah and one of the pieces has even played in Europe. Rachel Baird, who has played the title role of Eurydice in “The Death of Eurydice” three times was able to bring the play  Europe when it was accepted to the Feats InterNational Theatre Festival in Geneva, Switzerland last year where it was received enthusiastically and emotionally by the European audiences it played to. It’s a play that she feels a strong connection to:

            “I’m compelled by the piece because I think it offers a fresh perspective on death and on the grieving process and the courage it takes to accept things as they are,” Baird said. “I feel like it is an inspired re-telling of a myth that is relevant to us.”

            In “The Death of Eurydice,” Eurydice finds herself in a dark place, upon a boat with a strange man, whose evasive answers to her questions create even more questions. Where is she? Who is this man? Why are there no stars above them? What is in the “water” below them? And why is Eurydice so sad? Eurydice must confront her fate, and either accept or reject the possibilities extended to her.

One of the other pieces, titled “Jinn,” also plays with mythic themes, but uses a modern setting. Playing with the Arabic myth of jinn, more commonly known as genies, the play addresses themes of love, loss, regret and repressed emotion. Rebecca Minson, who has also played the lead role Calypso in “Jinn” before was excited to step back into the character, “I love playing Calypso. She’s strong and complex. Her experience embodies the quote by Plato, ‘The first and best victory is to conquer self.’ Whether you’re conquering your own demons or accepting your past as a part of you, anyone can relate to this emotional struggle.”

The Off Broadway Theater is located at 272 South Main Street, Salt Lake City. Tickets are $12 for general public, $10 for students and seniors, and $8 for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased in advance at obt.org or by calling (801) 355-4628.

Note: The Death of Eurydice is taking the slot previously held by ZTC’s production of Swallow the Sun. Swallow the Sun has been moved to the Castle Theater in Provo for late August/ early September.