Sex Strike Staged at Elizabethtown College

ELIZABETHTOWN, PA (04/06/2012)(readMedia)-- "Lysistrata," written in 411 BC by Aristophanes, chronicles one woman's desire to end the Peloponnesian War by staging a sex strike. Elizabethtown College Theatre opens the famous anti-war comedy at 8 p.m., Thursday, April 19, in Elizabethtown College's Tempest Theatre.

The story follows Lysistrata as she gathers female friends from opposing sides of the war and presents them with a sex strike as an option to end the years of fighting between their men. As the women of Greece assemble, they agree to withhold affections until a treaty is signed.

Though their intentions are noble, maintaining their chastity in the face of male temptation and outrage, however, proves harder than expected for the women, who are met with hilarious yet wide-reaching consequences.

Performances continue at 8 p.m. Friday, April 20, and Saturday, April 21; Thursday, April 26, and Friday, April 27; and at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 29.

A special panel, "Peacemaking, Leadership and Justice in Lysistrata," with Jon A. Singer, executive director of Lancaster's Center for Community Peacemaking; The Rev. Tracy W. Sadd, chaplain and director of Religious Life at Elizabethtown College; and Dr. Michael Swanson, director of theatre and dance at Elizabethtown and director of Elizabethtown College Theatre's production of "Lysistrata" takes place at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 26, before the show in Tempest Theatre. Attendance for the preshow panel is free.

"Lysistrata" tickets are $6 and can be purchased at boxoffice@etown.edu or 717-361-1170. Note: This play includes graphic language and situations; attendance by children under 14 is discouraged.

Cast members of Lysistrata include first-year student Taylor Luckenbill as Lysistrata and sophomore Alexandra Yastishock as Kleonike. Seniors Nicole St. Pierre and Rachel Saul play Myrrhine and Lampito, respectively. The Koryphaios of Women is Sierra Hoover '13.

Colleen Deegan '15, Stephanie Lachance '13, Katie Owens '14 and Desireé Yeager '15 are the Chorus of Women.

Ismenia is played by first-year student Danielle Mitchell; senior Douglas Wilson is Opisthenia; and first-year student Abigail Riccardo plays Peace. Also in the cast are Michael Wawrzynek '14 as the Archon, Kyle Kovatch '13 as Kinesias, and Stephen Boyhont '14 as the Koryphaios of Men.

The Chorus of Men includes junior Laura Grube, sophomores Colin Jones and Chad Rice and first-year student Stuart Foley. The Spartan Herald is played by Douglas Wilson, and the Skythian Archers are Kyle Kovatch and first-year student Luke Wilson.

Director of "Lysistrata" is Dr. Michael Swanson, associate professor of Theatre and director of Theatre and Dance at Elizabethtown College. Richard Wolf-Spencer, assistant professor of theatre, is scenic and lighting designer; Jen Kilander, guest artist, is costume designer; Keller Robinson '13 is stage manager.

Read about additional events at Elizabethtown College.

Elizabethtown College, in south-central Pennsylvania, is a private coed institution offering more than four dozen liberal arts, fine and performing arts, science and engineering, business, communications and education degrees. Through personal attention, creative inspiration and academic challenge, Elizabethtown College students are encouraged to expand their intellectual curiosity and are given the opportunity to become a bigger part of the world through experiential learning-research, internships and study abroad. Elizabethtown College's overall commitment to Educate for Service is fulfilled as students are taught intellectually, socially, aesthetically and ethically for lives of service and leadership.

Visit www.etown.edu for more information about Elizabethtown College.

Posted Friday April 06, 2012 at 06:00 am by Elizabethtown College
Last Updated Tuesday April 10, 2012 at 01:47 pm