Polyhymnia- Muse of Pantomime
The Transformative Power of Masks
Join us on February 16, 2025 from 2:00 - 3:30 PM at the Parthenon for a free theatrical performance and following workshop.
Fragments of three tragedies, Sophocles' ANTIGONE and ŒDIPUS and Euripides' MEDEA will be performed by actors masked as the original ancient Greek actors were. The golden age of Athens, the fifth century BC, was the era of the first theater in western civilization. The playwrights of Ancient Greece invented drama, stories written in dialogue to be enacted. These masterpieces were the original detective stories, courtroom dramas, war stories and revenge fantasies.
Following the performances will be a workshop in masked performance. The Greeks comedy and tragedy masks are iconic, but the Greeks were not alone in their dependence on masks for performance. Mask wearing is so basic to human nature that most cultures have independently developed masked performance traditions in their core. In this workshop John Holleman will lead a workshop to explore the ubiquity of masks and the nature of their transformative power.
RSVP in advance for FREE museum admission for this performance and following workshop.
About the event:
In connection with the Christy Lee Rogers: The Muses exhibit, The Muses Educational Series will encourage visitors to imagine, engage, and create based on inspiration gained from The Muses through a series of hands-on workshops and events connected with each of the nine Greek Muses. Sessions will be held at the Parthenon, off-site, or virtually — all through partnerships with Nashville creatives and beloved local institutions. Inspired by the Greek Muses and their unique areas of influence, the workshops will include modern dance instruction, comedy improv, writing seminars, and more to enhance the exhibition’s impact on our local community.
About John Holleman:
John Holleman is a playwright, director and educator. His plays have been produced in New York, Chicago, Nashville, Knoxville, North Carolina, Illinois and on Prince Edward Island, Canada. He has directed opera and plays in New York City, Boston, at both the New York International Fringe Festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. His newest script was recently produced at Theatre Oxford in Mississippi.
The Muses Educational Series Sponsors:
Centennial Park Conservancy
Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation
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