The Oddest Sea: Greek Gods and Giggles

The Oddest Sea: Greek Gods and Giggles

Arts in the Open
Chautauqua State Park
Boulder, CO
June 2 - July 30, 2017

The Odyssey is a tough work to perform on stage. Creating a comedic script that can be performed on a hiking trail seems impossible. And yet, Arts in the Open has accomplished just this feat.

Each actor wore a simple costume - a plain chiton in various colors. Throughout the performance each actor (with the exception of Odysseus) each actor donned hats and masks to create many characters. Beyond that, each actor's impressive skills transformed them into gods, seamen, sirens, cyclops and animals.

The Odyssey covers 10 years and even though the play didn't feel that long, it managed to capture the essence of Odysseus' many perils. And despite the tragic feel of the epic poem by Homer, this play found the humor in the endless series of misadventures.

The brilliance of the script and the talent of the cast brought this ancient text into real life. The people and the situations were no longer words on a page but real flesh and blood. And presenting it on the glorious backdrop of Chautauqua Park made for a perfect setting for a story of man versus nature.