BWW Reviews: METAMORPHOSES Revival Is a Magical Experience at Georgia Shakespeare

It is always dangerous to form an opinion of a show after seeing only its first preview. So I was a little apprehensive about writing a review after seeing the very first performance of the 2013 incarnation of Georgia Shakespeare's "Metamorphoses." Since the initial 2006 run, which was nominated for, and won, more Suzi Bass Awards than any non-musical in history, "Metamorphoses" has held a special place in the Atlanta theatre consciousness; and I am happy to report that I now fully understand why their patrons were so excited for Georgia Shakespeare to bring back Mary Zimmerman's masterpiece based on the myths of Ovid.

Zimmerman has selected a dozen of Roman poet Ovid's myths and presented them in a series of vignettes. There is a mix of classic and contemporary story-telling devices that serve to remind that though these stories are millennia-old, they still have relevance in the modern world. In elegant fashion, "Metamorphoses" uses the ancient tales of Midas, Eurydice, Eros, and other gods, demigods, and mere mortals, to comment on the timeless themes of love, family, religion, greed, and grief. Alternatingly touching and humorous, both the script and its execution are mesmerizing throughout. We had already determined that this show was one of BroadwayWorld Atlanta's Summer Best Bets, but, now I am confident that it will be one of the most talked about shows of the entire year.

Very rarely do you see a show so wonderfully constructed in every imaginable way. The show's centerpiece is the 3,000-gallon on-stage pool that dominates the majority of the performance area and is overlooked by a multi-faceted, modernist Mount Olympus, designed by Kat Conley. Combined with the rich and surprising lighting by Mike Post and Liz Lee, all aspects of the setting equally complement both the tranquility and unrest in the stories to come.

Georgia Shakespeare Artistic Director Richard Garner has created some of the most spectacular stage images you are likely to ever see. While there is little in the show that can be traditionally classified as dance, many of the choreographed movements are so beautiful that they appear to be ballet. Christine Turbitt's flowing costumes, based in white and accented with colors representative of specific characters, add to the musicality of the movements. Additionally, composer Kendall Simpson has reworked some of her dynamic original music from 2006 for this new production.

The fact that I have thus far focused on the production's design and have yet to mention the cast is by no means an indication of the quality of their performances. It is just that every aspect of this show seems to be so interconnected that it is hard to separate the work of the actors from that of the designers. However, so seamlessly does the 10-person cast move between characters that you forget that each actor is playing roughly a half dozen roles a piece.

The cast features four actors that appeared in the show seven years ago and many of Georgia Shakespeare's most recognizable faces. Each member of the ensemble has opportunities to shine, and shine they do. Stepping into the pool are Suzi winners Carolyn Cook, Neal Ghant, Chris Kayser, Joe Knezevich, Park Krausen, Tess Malis Kincaid, and Travis Smith. Also featured are Georgia Shakespeare regular Ann Marie Gideon and company newcomers Kristin Butler and Barrett Doyle. Without exception, the cast delivers the unique and intriguing performances that you would expect from a group with their talent and stature.

A familiarity with mythology would be helpful when seeing the show, but it is by no means necessary. If you are not familiar with the denizens of Olympus, make sure to read the brief synopses of the myths in the program, it will undoubtedly enhance your appreciation of the stories. While I think that this would be a wonderful way to introduce children to both theatre and these classic tales, one scene does feature some rather darkly-lit mythologically-correct nudity; so parental discretion is advised.

There were a few issues with the set in their first public run, but I have no doubt that those have already been remedied. I have a feeling that some effects and blocking had to be changed on the fly on Wednesday night, but the action progressed so smoothly that I didn't feel as if I had missed a thing.

Whether or not you saw the original 2006 production, this summer's revival of "Metamorphoses" is a magical experience that you will not want to miss. Georgia Shakespeare performs at the Conant Performing Arts Center at Oglethorpe University. The show runs 90-minutes with no intermission and will play Tuesday-Saturday at 8:00pm, with two performances on Sunday at 2:00 and 7:00pm. To get tickets, call 404-504-1473 or visit the Georgia Shakespeare website.

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