This fall, the Illinois State University School of Theatre, Dance, and Film will present a production of Medea, written by Euripides, adapted by Ben Power. The production is directed by M.F.A. directing candidate John McCall Jr. During the show, the audience will notice a chorus of Corinthian women accompany Medea throughout her trials and tribulations. This group of women function as support for Medea during a time of great mental and emotional turmoil.
Medea becomes distraught after receiving the news that her husband is leaving her and their two children behind for a younger woman. She refuses to leave her room, she will not eat, and she does not take care of her decaying house. After days of this misery, the women of the town come together to visit Medea to see how they can support her during this time. They sympathize with her plight, support her ideas of avenging herself, and try to talk her down from more extreme action.
If the women had come to Medea sooner, perhaps they could have helped her before her mental state had deteriorated to the point that it did. Perhaps they would have been able to persuade Medea away from the great tragedy of the play. Medea takes the action she does because she feels she has no other choice. She has been crying for days, wishing pain upon those who have wronged her, and those very people have now exiled her—a fate deemed worse than death itself. Her decayed mental state and upcoming exile pushes her toward tragedy. Had Medea had access to the support of the chorus before the start of the play, perhaps she would not have resorted to threatening others.
The support offered by the chorus is not limited to just Medea or the play. It is something the actors feel in real life. According to Maddie Beyer, trust is the ultimate key. “That trust expands past the rehearsal space,” said Beyer. “And these lovely people have become some of my closest friends. I know I can go to them for anything in or outside of rehearsal. We all can lean on each other without judgement, and that support within the chorus is what makes our collective work on stage so captivating.”
Maddi Fetterman believes that the support they feel comes from connection. “I’ve found support from being in the chorus in the way that we’re all very connected. When I feel like something didn’t go quite right, everyone else feels it too,” Fetterman said. “We know exactly where our weak spots are, and we all are actively working to make them better. We’re a growing, breathing, and interconnected organism both in real life and as our characters.”
There are major focused, social, and specific interest groups for women, but Illinois State University does not have a feminist registered student organization (RSO) on campus based on empowering women and focusing on consciousness raising. Medea is not the only one who could benefit from such a support group. Female identifying students would benefit from such a safe space. Feminist Campus, an affiliate of the Feminist Majority Foundation and the largest collegiate network of feminist student run organizations, provides a resource guide for the type of programming a feminist RSO could contribute to our campus.
The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) Resource Center, which just had its grand reopening, provides resources similar to what such an RSO could provide. Located on the second floor of Rachel Cooper Hall in room 234, the WGSS Resource Center has free printing, snacks, a library of feminist sources, and a lounge area to sit and share ideas. The WGSS Resource Center also provides on- and off-campus resources to help students from various backgrounds find equal access during their time at Illinois State.
According to Forbes magazine, “being part of a support group can be incredibly validating and empowering,” and while Medea is empowered by the presence of the chorus, it is after she had reached such a low point that her mind is made up about what she needs to do. It is through the support of the chorus that she is able to push towards revenge, but had they supported her from the beginning, it is possible that she would have stopped at that.
Medea will be performed at the Center for the Performing Arts Theatre on October 11-12 and 16-19 at 7:30 p.m. as well as on October 13 at 2 p.m. The runtime is approximately 80 minutes with no intermission.
Tickets can be purchased in person at the Center for the Performing Arts Box Office on the campus of Illinois State University, by calling (309) 438-2535, or online.
If you need accommodations to fully participate in this program, please contact the Center for the Performing Arts Box Office at (309) 438-2535. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.
