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Nathaniel Glewwe
Prof. Karen Wilson
Theatre History -1700
12/17/15
Modern Lysistrata: A Modern Political Adaptation
Cover Letter
I am Nathaniel Glewwe, a director and producer, and in this proposition I am
asking for a grant to fund my modernized political adaptation of the Aristophanes’
Ancient Greek comedy Lysistrata. This original show is about the title character
Lysistrata and her organization of a sex strike among the women of Greece to force the
men of Greece to end the Second Peloponnesian War and declare peace. My
adaptation of the show, however, changes the show to a significant extent by presenting
Lysistrata as a mass shooting survivor living in a modern urban city, who subsequently
organizes a sex strike to force the passing of strict gun-control legislation to reduce gunrelated violence and deaths. I’ve chosen to adapt the show this way so audiences can
actively relate to current issues that surround them and find a voice to express their
concerns on these issues. Thank you for considering my proposal, I hope you find it
intriguing. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Nathaniel Glewwe
Director and Producer
952-941-9445
[email protected]
About This Production
Lysistrata is an Old Comedy by Aristophanes, a work of historical fiction taking
place during the Second Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, telling the
story of the Athenian woman Lysistrata and her self-imposed mission to end the war.
She gathers a number of women from different cities in Greece, including Athens and
Sparta, and convinces them to withhold all forms of sex from their partners to pressure
the men into ending the war. Athenian law enforcement attempts to intervene, but they
are fended off and Lysistrata takes the opportunity to voice the women’s frustrations
regarding the universally negative impact of the war to the magistrate. The men refuse
to listen however, and the standoff continues until a Spartan messenger arrives and
reveals the men of Sparta find themselves in a similar predicament and sent the
messenger to sue for peace. Under pressure from all sides, the Athenian and Spartan
men work out peace terms and finally everyone celebrates the end of the conflicts.
I intend to produce a heavily modernized political adaptation of this show
because I believe the themes and social issues it brings up are still far from being
resolved and must be addressed today. I therefore wish to adapt the show to introduce
Lysistrata as a survivor of a mass shooting who organizes the women who are the
partners of influential men to pressure these men into passing gun-control legislation.
The plot will then revolve around the women’s efforts to force the men to create stricter
gun-control laws to reduce gun-related violence. Other issues such as feminism and
domestic violence will also be addressed.
I chose a modernized production because I suspect the concerns of the show are
much more likely to reach the audience in a modernized context that audience can
relate to personally. A modernized style will also demonstrate the relevance of social
issues that have followed human societies throughout the centuries, from the time of the
Ancient Greeks to the twenty-first century. Finally, a modernized adaptation will allow
me to adapt the play for contemporary audiences who consume theatre productions
differently than Ancient Greek audiences did. My adaptation will deliver the messages of
the show more accessibly to audiences, with elements including contemporary
references, ironic and deadpan humor in the style of news satire comedy shows, and
contemporary storytelling techniques to emotionally invest the audience.
I realize that my adaptation is dealing with a notably political issue, and I have
written it this way purposefully because it is necessary to address issues directly in
order to resolve them, even if that means being political. There is no harm in addressing
issues directly, this is how discussions begin which is the first step towards resolving
issues. Many people, of course, will have different viewpoints to contribute and all this
discussion (which some fear as controversy) will attract attention to this production, and
more audiences will come to see what it has to contribute to the political discussion.
They will then leave the theatre to contribute to the discussion with their own reactions.
If they disagree, and many will, it will contribute more to the discussion and bring more
attention and audiences to this show to ultimately make it a financially successful show.
I aim to jump-start open social conversation with this production that focuses on issues
that are personal and passionate to all of society on every level. I am eagerly looking
forward to making this an entertaining but deep, thought-provoking production.
Background
Lysistrata is classified as an Old Comedy written by Aristophanes and first
performed in Athens in 411 BCE. It is notable for addressing sexual relations in a
patriarchal society early in Western history, and for being written in response to Athens’
disastrous defeat in the Sicilian Expedition during the Second Peloponnesian War.
Notable pre-20th century translations of the play include those by Florent
Chrétien (a Latin verse translation written sometime during his lifetime 1541-1596),
Richard François Phillipe Brunck (a Latin translation in 1783), and William James Hickie
(an English translation in 1872). Around the end of the 19th century creative adaptations
of the play began to be staged, such as a production in 1892 at the Grand Théâtre in
Paris with an adaptation by Maurice Donnay that included new music, added a husband
and a lover for Lysistrata, and altered the storyline (Brown 94).
Since the beginning of the 20th century, productions and adaptations of
Lysistrata have often been feminist or pacifist interpretations. However, the original text
doesn’t lend itself to feminism, as Hilkovitz notes that the play “was not intended to have
a feminist message” (128) and the script actually reinforces sexual stereotypes. The
original text does emphasize some pacifist ideas and pushes for peace, as Hilkovitz’s
article argues, but it also neglects to address to other viewpoints on war such as war
being honorable, or morally necessary or justifiable given certain conditions. Sarah
Ruden in her 2003 translation declares the play “nowhere suggests that warfare in itself
is intolerable, let alone immoral” (87). It is often adaptations of the play that make it truly
feminist or pacifist.
Lysistrata is ultimately a play that has weathered through ups and downs, stood
the test of time, and still remain a powerful show in its many adaptations. An all-black
1936 Seattle production was forced to close after its opening night (where it earned rave
reviews) because its presentation “threatened the nation's essentially conservative
political power structure” (West 108), indicating the power of the play. More recently,
Lysistrata was well-received at Wyndham’s Theatre in 1993 because “rather than
translating culturally untransferable jokes, [the translator] supplies his own; they
beautifully represent the spirit…if not the letter of Aristophanic wit” (Hall 20). Just
months ago at the end of September, the Mad Horse Theatre’s feminist production was
praised “with a little help from director Short’s contemporary sensibility, the women
come out looking extra good” (Feeney). Spike Lee’s moving film “Chi-Raq,” released on
December 4th, is based on Lysistrata. This play is clearly powerful, and I am certain my
adaptation will live up to its predecessors.
Directorial Vision
My adaptation of Lysistrata sets the show in a contemporary, urban setting. This
setting is reminiscent of any large American city with asphalt streets, shops and
businesses, skyscrapers, traffic, and a high density population. There is no war being
fought, instead gun violence plagues the city, and there is clear evidence of it
everywhere. The whole presentation on stage suggests an environment of unease and
uncertainty, where violence is waiting just below the surface to break out. Despite the
drastic change from an Ancient Greek city, the location will still be referred to as Athens,
and the main characters will retain their Greek names.
My goal with this production is to starkly present today’s gun-related problems in
America to audiences in a way that is appealing and engaging, so that audiences
ultimately get involved in discussing and working to resolve gun-related issues to
decrease gun violence. To accomplish this, my adaptation puts an iteration of Athens
onstage that parallels the conditions of an American city afflicted by gun violence, then
proceeds to satirize it. This adaptation uses satire in the same way that news satire
shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report use it to talk about social issues
humorously yet directly. Using a satirical approach is unique in that it can draw in and
delight audiences while simultaneously focusing precisely on controversial social
concerns without shying away from them. This is how my adaptation interests
audiences and promotes discussion on gun-control. My production will be a sociopolitical satire that is both hysterically funny and poignantly critical of society, and offers
possible actions to take going forward to improve in the future.
I envision this production being put on in an inner-city regional theatre in a large
urban city like Chicago, Washington DC, or the Twin Cities; a place where anyone is
welcome and encouraged to come and see the production no matter their socioeconomic status. I want this sort of space because this is the sort of location where
mass shootings and gun violence occur most frequently, so this production will hit home
with audiences.
Casting Suggestions
• Tina Fey as Lysistrata - Lysistrata is the most complex character in the show, and
Tina Fey has proven in her abounding previous work that she can deftly handle the
balance in Lysistrata’s character between a determined leader and a caring woman.
Fey is both a fantastic comedian and dramatic actress, so she can certainly portray a
humorous yet touching Lysistrata. She’s also worked well with Amy Poehler.
• Amy Poehler as Calonice - Calonice is closest to Lysistrata in the play, and she
represents all the other women to an extent. Amy Poehler, having worked closely with
Tina Fey before, is a natural choice for Calonice, especially since Poehler can portray
a woman who is a critical follower, not just a blind sheep. Poehler is also an
accomplished comedian who will bring a lot of humor to the show.
• Marilyn Monroe as Myrrhine - Myrrhine is one of the women participating in
Lysistrata’s sex strike who publicly seduces her husband Kinesias by driving him mad
with lust, only to ultimately frustrate him by deciding not to have sex with him after all.
There is no better actress who could pull off the alluring, coy, exasperating Myrrhine
than Marilyn Monroe, who made her entire career out of playing these characters.
• Steve Martin as The Magistrate - The Magistrate is repeatedly pitted against
Lysistrata in the show, representing the indignant patriarchy at having to deal with
these upstart women. Steve Martin is a great comedian with an ideal resume who can
play the character, who takes himself very seriously, in a way that is increasingly
humorous as the indignities to his person pile up.
• Ben Stiller as Kinesias - Kinesias is a man who knows what he wants, and only
knows one way to get it, which has always worked in the past. The greatness of this
character comes from being bewildered that his single-minded method for getting to
sleep with his wife Myrrhine no longer works. Like a bull in the ring, he tries again and
again without success. Ben Stiller can best play him so audiences simultaneously
sympathize with him and find him hysterically entertaining.
• I do not have any actors in mind for the remaining parts in the show, so I would like to
have an open casting call to find actors to fill those parts. The male and female
choruses are of particular importance, and I’m looking for about four or five actors to
fill each chorus. It is more important to find actors who can work well together rather
than any more big stars.
Artistic Team Suggestions
• Anna Louizos for Set Designer - Anna Louizos has extensive experience in designing
urban environments for theatre stages, including In the Heights and Avenue Q. She
has received numerous award nominations for her set designs, including Tony Award
nominations, so she is quite capable of creating the kind of urban environment I’m
looking for in this production.
• Brian Bjorklund for Lighting Designer - Brian Bjorklund is a lighting designer with
whom I’ve worked many times in the past. He is a professor of technical theatre and
St. Olaf College and has been designing lights nearly his whole career. He and I have
an excellent, productive working relationship so we can count on each other to
produce great theatre together.
• Scott W. Edwards for Sound Designer - Scott Edwards has an enormous professional
resume. He is the resident sound designer at the Guthrie, and he has worked on a
wide variety of plays and musicals, giving him a sizable pool of different experiences
to draw from in designing my production. His flexibility and creativity will be essential
in creating an auditory environment that meshes well with the urban setting.
• I have no other specific individuals in mind for other artistic team positions, of which
the stage manager and the costume designer are the most pressing. I would like to
find individuals who I know can work well with the team members I’ve already got, so
I will likely select individuals based on their recommendations. Ultimately, I want a
team that can operate well together, artistically and productively.
Publicity
There are several elements that will attract audiences to come see this play.
First, this show takes an Ancient Greek play and makes it strongly, almost painfully
relevant to modern urban audiences. Mass shootings and gun violence have finally
come to public attention in a way that people are no longer able to ignore what is
happening around them. America as a society is being forced to confront these issues
and this production is part of that confrontation in a way that is accessible and helpful
because it clearly presents the problem and a potential solution. Now that America is
confronting these social issues, people want relevant dialogue that can help lead to a
resolution. This production supplies that relevant dialogue.
Another way my adaptation captivates audiences is how it is written: it doesn’t
just use logic to talk about social issues, it’s also written to emotionally invest the
audience in the show. It appeals emotionally to the audience to get them on the
character’s side. This is a big part of what makes Broadway shows so popular, and this
production will use the comedy in the show as a way to suck in audiences just like
Broadway does. People genuinely like to care about other people, and the comic and
emotional portrayal of the characters in this show will make audiences laugh, cry, and
accept the show for themselves.
Finally, this production focuses on controversial issues, and that by itself will
garner a lot of attention. This adaptation will bring out a lot of viewpoints on what society
should do to address mass shootings and gun violence, and a tumult of discussion will
erupt surrounding this production. Some will agree with the potential solution presented
in the play, others will not, and all this uproar will attract the attention of audiences who
want to see the play for themselves, form their own viewpoints, and contribute to the
discussion. The show will get more paying audiences as a result. In short, this
production will use controversy to its advantage in amassing attention and revenue.
In order for all of this to happen, I am asking for a total budget of $10 million,
which will cover all the costs of the production, including all salaries, renting costs,
materials, royalties and fees. While this may seem to be quite a lot, I am certain the
investment in great actors, artistic team members, and an innovative script adaptation
will earn a excellent net return. I sincerely hope we can create this incredible production,
thank you for your consideration.
Works Cited
Aristophanes. Lysistrata. Trans. Sarah Ruden. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing
Company, 2003. Print.
Brown, Peter, and Suzana Ograjensekis. Ancient Drama in Music for the Modern Stage.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. 94-95. Web.
Feeney, Steve. “Theater Review: Ancient Greek women give peace a chance in
‘Lysistrata’” Rev. of Lysistrata by Aristophanes. Portland Press Harold 26 Sept.
2015. Web.
Hall, Edith. “Wiggle and Pout” Rev. of Lysistrata by Aristophanes. The Times Literary
Supplement 4708 (1993): 20. Print.
Hilkovitz, Andrea. "Beyond Sex Strikes: Women's Movements, Peace Building, and
Negotiation in Lysistrata and Pray the Devil Back to Hell." Journal for the Study of
Peace and Conflict (2014): 124-34. ProQuest. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.
West, Ron. “Others, Adults, Censored: The Federal Theatre Project's Black Lysistrata
Cancellation.” Theatre Survey Nov. 1996: 93-113. Print.
RESEARCH AND IDEAS
Possible Paper Titles:
“Lysistrata: A Political Satire” “Lysistrata: Relevant in the Modern Day?” “Why Do We
Still Need Feminist/Political Plays?” “Validating Legitimate Social Concerns”
Why should this modernized production of Lysistrata be funded?
• This play deals with two major issues that the U.S. still faces today: war and women’s
rights. It calls attention to these issues and the shortcomings of the American society
regarding how we wage war and how women are treated in the U.S.
• Why is it important that we raise these issues? Simply put, it’s because they are
indeed still issues that plague society, and they are still unresolved. American society
is constantly fighting with itself over social issues like war and women’s rights, and so
progress towards a better quality of life in America is stunted by infighting. These
societal issues must be resolved in order to improve society and living conditions as a
whole.
• Why should anyone care about resolving societal issues? Because those issues have
direct effects on everyone all the time:
• Waging war requires money and war materials, which are generally obtained through
federal taxes and using government resources. This means every working individual
in the U.S. is essentially paying for the war effort, whether they want to or not. What’s
especially troubling is that the war effort often seems not to have clear objectives that
will benefit the U.S. in some way, so the taxes everyone is paying and resources
being used up could very well be going to waste.
• Women’s rights have equal impacts on individuals in the U.S. Roughly half of the
population identify as women, and the American society is stepping all over them in
terms of their quality of life and their ability to help improve the quality of life for
Americans. Women in America obviously want to eliminate sexism and misogyny, as
well as gain respect, power, equality, and everything else that feminism aims to
achieve. Quite a significant number of men in America, however, don’t feel that
societal sexism affects them and they feel it’s not their problem to confront, so they
don’t act. Despite that pervasive sentiment, sexism and misogyny do have negative
affects on men precisely because all of society is adversely affected this ideology,
and that includes men. Examples include how the wage gap between men and
women causes a married couple’s combined family income to be lower than it would
be if women were paid as much as men, or how men are excluded and/or considered
disruptive to the standard order when they do ‘feminine’ things like cook for their
family or use makeup and hygiene products. Sexism and misogyny hurt men as well
as women.
• These societal issues hurt everyone, and they know it, and they don’t like it. So what
do they do about it? Oftentimes, it’s hard to know how to resolve these issues, but the
first step is always to start a direct dialogue about them. What better way to start a
direct dialogue than by producing a show that directly confronts the issues in
question? Knowing that someone is making a direct effort to confront these issues will
attract an audience, especially those who want to confront these issues themselves.
They will support a theatre production that fights to create solutions to issues that are
consciously harming them on a daily basis. They will feel it is worth facilitating theatre
and discussion on topics like these because they are personally relevant and
promote the possibility of improvement in the future. Hope that change can truly be
achieved will propel audiences to take action and support this show.
Casting Suggestions:
I do not have any particular actors in mind for the different roles in this production. I will
certainly not be gender-swapping any characters or making any other major changes to
casting. However, I will make a conscious effort to cast a variety of actors identifying as
different races and ethnicities, because I want to incorporate racial recognition and
inclusion, even though war and women’s rights are the principle issues addressed in the
play. I believe it is important not to forget other social issues even when focusing on one
in particular, because if we don’t then we are in danger of engaging in discrimination
even without meaning to, such as promoting feminism using only white, middle-class
women and ignoring what women of all other races and ethnicities have to contribute.
Ideally I’d like to include actors of all different religions or beliefs as well, again for the
sake of avoiding selective advocacy on the issues of war and women’s rights. The same
goes for all other ways in which individuals identify themselves, I want to include all
those who are affected by these societal issues, and that boils to people of all kinds.
Locations:
I would like to stage the production in a communal location, a place where everyone
feels they are part of the community. A place where everyone feels they are welcome
and accepted, not judged or seem out of place compared with everyone else. This is to
stay consistent with the themes of relevance and inter-connectedness between
everyone in the community, instead of drawing lines and creating separation. Some
possible locations are community centers, public parks, or public bandshell stages.
Ideas for Staging:
This is a modernized version of Lysistrata, so all the elements of the production to
reflect a modern setting and time period. The costume designer could create all kinds of
modern designs while still reflecting the position in society of each character (for
example, the magistrate could be dressed as a politician). The set designer could
replace the acropolis with an American government building, and the local could be
modern city streets. The lighting and sound designers would create a sensory
environment reminiscent of an American city. The overall goal would be for it to feel
familiar and relevant to the audience, as well as a place of community.
Research:
• Spike Lee’s upcoming movie Chi-Raq: A film based on Lysistrata, set in Chicago’s
South Side satirizing gang violence, which is an often overlooked issue in the area.
Director Spike Lee says _____ Initial critics say _____
• The 1946 production with all-black cast - Just after WWII, during times of legal
segregation, disenfranchisement in the South, and ‘subtle’ forms of segregation in the
North, Closed down by the Federal Theatre Project after 4 performances? https://
books.google.com/books?
id=q4DoBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA820&lpg=PA820&dq=1946+Lysistrata+production
+Broadway&source=bl&ots=SWVl5t0T4K&sig=VJvnParNAn9pIWiYa9uNHe2rmI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwirjaDz1qfJAhXEkx4KHbmkDg4
Q6AEINzAF#v=onepage&q=1946%20Lysistrata%20production
%20Broadway&f=false
• Mad Horse Theatre’s 2015 Production: ‘Feminist call to action,’ Script adapted by
company member/director Reba Short, she wanted it to ‘suit the present without
modernizing it… suits the Mad Horse mission of producing passionate, provocative
work.’ http://www.broadwayworld.com/maine/article/Mad-Horse-Theatre-to-PresentLYSISTRATA-924-1011-20150914 Portland Press Harold reviewer says Short’s
adaption emphasized ‘feminist implications,’ arguably promoting feminism more than
the original. http://www.pressherald.com/2015/09/26/theater-review-ancient-greekwomen-give-peace-a-chance-in-lysistrata/ Portland Phoenix review notes how the
production flaunts sex (although it doesn’t shame it) but also carries a message about
the need for sacrifice in order to reach our goals, which resonates strongly in our time
http://portlandphoenix.me/2015/09/30/theater/sensual-and-ribald-lysistrata-at-madhorse-delivers-sexy-fare/
• Wyndham’s Theatre’s 1993 production:
Presentation:
• History of Lysistrata:
• Comedy by Aristophanes about Lysistrata’s orchestration of a sex strike to end war
• First performed in 411 B.C. in Athens, debuting during either the City Dionysia or
the Lenaia festivals.
• Notable for addressing sexual relations in a patriarchal society early in Western
history
• Also notable for it’s splitting off from several Old Comedy conventions, as
demonstrated in its split chorus, lack of mid-play parabasis, and unique agon.
• Produced two years after Athens’ major naval defeat in the Sicilian Expedition
(leading to Athens’ downfall in the Second Peloponnesian war, 431-404 B.C.)
• Influence is seen in John Fletcher’s The Tamer Tamed (1611)
• Translations earlier than the 20th century: Florent Chrétien (French satirist and
Latin poet) verse translation sometime during his lifetime 1541-1596; Richard
François Phillipe Brunck’s (a French classical scholar) Latin translation in 1783;
1872, William James Hickie (British scholar), The Comedies of Aristophanes. A
New and Literal Translation, Vol 2;
• Productions earlier than the 20th century: Production in Paris, 1892, at the Grand
Théâtre run by M. Porel, adapted and modernized by Maurice Donnay, with music
by M. Dutacq, quite popular among audiences, notably added a lover for Lysistrata:
Agathos leader of the Athenian army, alters the storyline so that Lysistrata doesn’t
actually keep her own oath and secretly makes love with her lover (not her
husband Lycon), his alterations have been kept in some later productions
• Feminist Interpretations
• Modern productions are often feminist and/or pacifist, however there isn’t much at
•
all in the actual text that would suggest feminism as we understand it today
• Even when seemly empathizing with women (like the quote about how women
have a tiny time window to be considered beautiful/acceptable for marriage, while
men are able to marry at almost any age), the text still reinforced stereotypes
• “Men will have it we are tricky and sly… and they are quite right, upon my word!”
• “So fine, it means just this, Greece saved by the women!… By the women! Why,
its salvation hangs by a poor thread then!”
• Nearly all the female characters from the play fall into female stereotypes of
some sort, being vain, lustful, submissive, etc. The magistrate accuses women of
being hysterical and addicted to wine and sex, and stands on a soapbox about
how this whole situation came about because men did a bad job of controlling
women they way they ought.
• The women become so desperate for sex that they start to desert Lysistrata until
she cows them into holding out.
The
only one not stereotyped as much is Lysistrata herself, but she has to resort to
•
objectifying women (by presenting the nude goddess Peace to the magistrate and
peace delegates from both sides) in order to get the men to listen to her, and in the
end there is no breaking down of sexual stereotype by the end of the play
• So does Lysistrata force the men to end the war? Yes, but only by reaffirming
sexual stereotypes in the eyes of men, so there is no real headway made against
sexism.
Pacifist Interpretations
• The text itself is more pacifistic than feministic, it brings up issues of war such as
detrimental effects at home (such as the division of families for long periods of time,
using up resources/money that could be spent on better things), as well as the lack
of sense in going to war against former allies, etc.
• Lysistrata proposes using diplomacy to settle disputes between countries, and
engaging the productivity of all citizens to achieve the goals of the state(s),
although she doesn’t press this matter strongly
• However, the text doesn’t present war as a universally negative activity, it neglects
to address other aspects of war, such as how men/soldiers view it as honorable, or
necessary, or how winning in war may be considered more acceptable or if war is
only immoral if fighting a losing war.
• Productions have done Pacifist spins on Lysistrata (some more overt than others),
especially in response to wars that seemed to have no defining point, such as the
war in Iraq that spawned the Lysistrata project where the play was read and
performed around the world to protest needless war.
• Anat Gov, an Israeli playwright, wrote a modern adaption in 2001 titled ‘Lysistrata
2000’ with strong anti-war messages, with quotes like ‘Whence comes this need to
enlarge territory all the time?’ ‘How is it that one murder makes a person a
murderer, while he gets a medal for a thousand?’ ‘Why do we need to control
someone else to feel big?’ ‘Why do we need to hate someone else in order to love
ourselves?’
• So while the play has some pacifistic messages, they aren’t terribly strong today
unless the script adaption makes it so
1936 All-Black Production
• The 1936 black Seattle production was closed by the Works Progress Administration
after a single, sellout performance, after it (the WPA) has allowed the show to open.
• Directed by FTP’s white sponsoring directors Florence and Burton James.
• Performed at the Moore Theatre, considered an upper class entertainment venue
• Script adaption by Theodore Browne, a member of the Negro Repertory Company
(NRC). Script adaption was created for ease of the actors’ and audience’s
understanding, using broad vernacular, not reflecting a black cultural base
• Closed down after the directors got a visit from the State WPA Supervisor Don Abel
the morning following opening night with orders to shut down Lysistrata due to
‘bawdy’ and ‘indecent’ content. Abel’s written orders cited ‘it is for the best interest of
the WPA to have it closed’ immediately.
• Ron West’s analysis of the causes and effects of this incident argues that the real
reasons why it was shut down were political and social, the result of political
conservatives’ fears of disrupting the social order.
• He disproves the allegations of indecency by pointing out that there were other,
much more provocative show entertainments occurring regularly in Seattle, and
being actively promoted in the press and media.
• He instead argues that it was closed for three reasons:
• First, it brought sexuality and ideas of social disorder onto the stage of in front of
the socially privatized, privileged upper class at the Moore Theatre.
• Second, it portrayed black people (and notably black women) in characters outside
of white people’s stereotypical ideas/caricatures of black people.
• Third, the production’s uniqueness strongly reinforced the themes of social and
power upheaval, and antiwar attitudes present in the Aristophanes’ work, playing
on conservative fears of disorder in society.
• He goes on to say that the NRC’s repression back into representing the white
man’s idea of black people was a result of white conservative political power
pressure, as well as well-intentioned white sponsors who ended up reenforcing
black stereotypes for fear of being considered radical.
• A similar incident occurred ten years later in 1946, when another all-black production
of Lysistrata was closed early, this time after four performances and on Broadway. It
starred Etta Moten Barnett, and probably had particular resonance because WWII
had just ended and black Americans were forced to deal with segregation and other
forms of racism. I personally suspect that it was terminated for similar reasons as the
1936 production: infringing on the already-established, and fear of setting off political
upheaval.
1993 Revivial at Wyndham’s Theatre
• Directed by Peter Hall
• Script adaption by Ranjit Bolt
• Critics complemented the quality of the humor and presentation as a comedy, but felt
that the connections to social issues were lost as a result.
• Lysistrata was presented as sexy flirt, not a woman aiming for social change
• The presentation of the show was geared towards entertainment, not provoking
thoughts on social change (‘advent calendar set, references to other shows, etc.)
2015 Mad Horse Theatre Production
• Direction and script adaption by Reba Short
• Self-described as ‘Feminist call to action,’ wanted it to ‘suit the present without
modernizing it… suits the Mad Horse mission of producing passionate, provocative
work.’
• Portland Press Harold reviewer says Short’s adaption emphasized ‘feminist
implications,’ arguably promoting feminism more than the original.
• Portland Phoenix review notes how the production flaunts sex (although it doesn’t
shame it) but also carries a message about the need for sacrifice in order to reach
our goals, which resonates strongly in our time
Chi-Raq
• A Spike Lee film based on Lysistrata, satirizing the gang violence prevalent on the
south side of Chicago
• ‘Chi-Raq’ is a combination of Chicago and Iraq, likening the living conditions of south
side Chicago to war-torn Iraq
• Favorable reviews, praised as relevant and ambitious, entertaining yet sharp
• Had a controversy where objections to trailers denounced using the deaths and crime
around south side Chicago as entertainment, although others saw it as pinpointing an
issue that often gets ignored. There were also objections to the title ‘Chi-Raq’
• Star Tribune: 3.5 out of 4 stars, ‘Aristophanes has found his ideal interpreter’
How I would stage Lysistrata:
• Modern adaption, to make it more accessible and relatable to the audience
• Set the show in a big, modern, U.S. city like N.Y., L.A., or W.D.C.
• Designs should evoke atmosphere of uncertainty, chaos, possibly even fear
• My own script adaption, with Lysistrata being a survivor of a mass shooting incident
and thereafter gathering together women who are the partners of men who can have
a direct effect on decreasing mass shootings, such as politicians, firearms
manufacturers, marketers, and salesmen, NRA board members, to force the passing
of gun control laws. The women seize the capitol (in place of the treasury) in order to
put more pressure on lawmakers to pass gun control laws. Eventually, the pressure
gets to be too much and all the men in question convene at the capitol to draft and
pass the desired laws, such as gun registration, license-granting only for specific
uses (hunting, sports, etc), and limits on the types of firearms available.
• Emphasizing the emotionally charged parts of the play to get the audience
emotionally invested in the show, so that the audience cares for and sympathizes
with the characters. Then they are more likely to listen to the pacifist messages in the
show later on. Why are broadway shows so popular? Because they get the audience
•
•
to become extremely emotionally invested in their shows. This show to do the same
thing by using the comedy in the show.
Want it to be comedy-satire in the way that the Daily Show, Colbert Report, and Last
Week Tonight make approaching difficult social/political issues relatively painless, yet
effectively direct.
Will it be political/controversial? Yes it will, and we will thus get quite a bit of attention,
which usually correlates with more people coming to see the show, even if they don’t
like it, they want to come see what all the fuss is about. It will get us the attention we
need to make it a successful show.
Sources of Info:
• https://books.google.com/books?
id=TkZ_nHipRGUC&pg=PR94&lpg=PR94&dq=Lysistrata
+agathos&source=bl&ots=A_xp3jn_PZ&sig=KDvKWIjU4HNmty7omb8kldeEZTQ&hl=
en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjSv8CQ3LnJAhUB1h4KHUZcAOwQ6AEINDAE#v=onepag
e&q=Lysistrata%20agathos&f=false
• ‘Wiggle and Pout’ article (pictures)
• http://www.broadwayworld.com/maine/article/Mad-Horse-Theatre-to-PresentLYSISTRATA-924-1011-20150914