Desire and Transformation at the Museum of Fine Arts

by Rebecca Bradshow, Stone Artistic Producing Intern

Audiences at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston have been admiring one of the most intriguing and powerful goddesses of the ancient world. “Aphrodite and the Gods of Love” features exquisite sculptures, mosaics, and paintings from the ancient world. In collaboration with the MFA, the Huntington has created an additional interactive element in experiencing such beauty.


Working in collaboration between Christine Kondoleon (Senior Curator of Greek and Roman Art for the MFA) and M. Bevin O’Gara (the Huntington's Associate Producer), the two institutions have crafted an audio tour incorporating dramatic readings from texts by Ancient Greek philosophers and poets. Each piece of audio is paired with one of the many vases or sculptures to tell a story or reveal an emotion, allowing for a deeper artistic connection to the work as visitors walk through the exhibit. By molding visual storytelling with its audio counterpart, the exhibit comes alive.


On top of the audio tour, the culmination of a larger collaboration will occur tonight. Alongside fringe theater company, Whistler in the Dark, the Huntington has created a theatrical event focusing on love’s many manipulations entitled, “Desire and Transformation: An Evening in Greece”. The evening highlights the text of Ovid with pieces from Whistler’s IRNE Award-winning production, “Tales from Ovid”, as well as readings from Ovid’s collection of love letters. This special performance invites a modern interpretation to the texts while seducing its audience with Ovid’s captivating voice.


On behalf of the Huntington, Marie Polizzano and Dennis Staroselsky will be performing this evening alongside Whistler members Jennifer O’Connor, Aimee Rose Ranger , and Mac Young.


Tonight’s performance will begin at 7:30pm after a reception in and throughout the exhibit. For more information or to buy tickets, please visit huntingtontheatre.org/ovid.

What Audiences Are Saying About Captors

Have you seen Captors yet?
Please share your comments with us!

• How did you feel watching Eichmann get captured for the second time? Was this Nazi war criminal a sympathetic character, or are his actions still irredeemable?


• Captors is a dramatization of actual historical events that hopefully illuminates the story in a new and unfamiliar light. Even Peter Malkin himself struggled to remember the exact details of his time in Buenos Aires. Did this story affect or change your perception of world history? Did parts of the the play surprise you, even if you already knew the history behind it and how the story would end?


• Did you attend a post show conversation? What comments surprised you or made you think differently about the play? Would you attend a post show conversation again? What were you thinking about on the way home from the theatre?

Join the Conversation!

The Huntington Theatre Company's production of CAPTORS plays now through November 13, 2011  at the Boston University Theatre. Get tickets and information or call our Box Office at 617 266-0800.

Adolf Eichmann: the Man, the Myth, the Monster

Part of the excitement about producing a show like CAPTORS is the opportunity to learn something new. "But wait," you say, "The story of Captors isn't new — it happened 50 years ago!" And you'd be right to say that. But for some of our audience — and admittedly (embarrassingly) for much of our staff, up until this script came to our attention — the details of Adolf Eichmann's capture were not common knowledge. We spoke with playwright Evan M. Wiener, director Peter DuBois, and the (well-researched!) actors playing Eichmann and Malkin, Michael Cristofer and Louis Cancelmi, and put this video together exploring the complex psyche of the "Architect of the Holocaust."



The Huntington Theatre Company's production of CAPTORS plays now through November 13, 2011  at the Boston University Theatre. Get tickets and information or call our Box Office at 617 266-0800.

Lydia Diamond on Finding Artistic Home in Boston

We recently had an opportunity to sit down with STICK FLY playwright (and Huntington Playwriting Fellow!) Lydia R. Diamond to discuss her experience with the Huntington Playwriting Fellow program, her artistic life in Boston — and of course, the excitement of seeing STICK FLY on Broadway, once again under the watchful direction of one Kenny Leon, and produced by Alicia Keys.

CAPTORS Video - Huntington Theatre Company

Director Peter DuBois, playwright Evan M. Wiener, and the cast rehearse and discuss Captors. 

The Huntington Theatre Company's production of CAPTORS plays now through November 13, 2011  at the Boston University Theatre. Get tickets and information or call our Box Office at 617 266-0800.

In search of a reason to email Oprah? We've got one!

Many of you remember Oberon K.A. Adjepong, the fabulous actor who played Christian, the traveling salesman and admirer of Mama Nadi, in our production of Ruined last January. 

Oberon K.A. Adjepong (Christian) and Tonye Patano (Mama Nadi) in Ruined

Critics and audiences praised our production, which received the 2011 Elliot Norton Award for Best Production (Large Theatre).

We recently received an email from him asking for help from the Huntington audience. As you may know, Oprah Winfrey is producing a film version of Ruined in which Oprah herself will play Mama Nadi. 

As of yet, the role of Christian has not been cast. Oberon would very much like reprise that role -- but first he must be granted an audition. He and his agent are working the standard channels, but he's trying some non-tradtional techniques, as well. Oberon is asking his fans, friends, and family to launch a letter-writing campaign in support of his recent work with Ruined and to recommend him for the opportunity to audition for the role. This is where you come in!


It's pretty simple: write a letter to Oprah via her website. Tell her that you saw Oberon in the Huntington's 2011 production of Ruined (You can also mention that he played the role at La Jolla Playhouse and Berkeley Rep). Tell Ms. Winfrey how much you liked (or loved!) Oberon's work as Christian. Be specific if you can. And ask her to consider casting him in the role of Christian for her film.

As you know, the theatre world is very small, and the West Coast arm of this campaign is already being spearheaded by our friends at Berkeley Rep. Let's help to make this a national effort and extend some East Coast support to Oberon!

Join us for the 35 Below Fall Crawl — Monday, November 14

It's been nearly two months since our last (totally awesome!) 35 Below Wrap Party for Candide (actually 53 days, 6 hours, and 47 minutes, but who's counting? What? Oh. Right), and quite frankly, I think we're all starting to feel a little antsy for another rockin' shindig, am I right? Of course I am. Unfortunately, our next big party's not for another 2 months (January 6, to be exact, to celebrate the first preview performance of God of Carnage). I know, I know. Bummer, right? I hear ya.

But fear not, True Believers! Your prayers have been answered! Join us next Monday, November 14 for our first inaugural 35 BELOW FALL CRAWL! We've been looking for new ways to keep the 35 Below energy going between and beyond our events, and as our pea coats and scarves start to make their way out of storage, we thought we'd offer you some solace from the coming cold. What better way than a tour through some of our favorite Boston hot spots for a night of drinks, mingling, and general merriment?

(Insert obligatory reminder that $25 tickets are available for patrons 35 and under at any and all productions and performances, even those without an awesome post-party, including but not limited to such wonderful Huntington productions as Before I Leave You and Captors AHEM)

So here's the deal: join us after work (or instead of work if you work evenings, although we do not condone skipping work without informing your supervisor ahead of time) for snacks and drink specials, as well as trivia (trivia!), free giveaways (free!), and lots of good times (LOTS!). Did I mention there's going to be a scavenger hunt? Because there's going to be a SCVNGR hunt, with lots of slick swag for the winner(s).

We'll be hitting up a few different gin joints over the course of the evening, so if you can't join us right at 5pm, not to worry. Here's the plan, starting off in the South End at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA:

• 5pm — Masa (439 Tremont Street). Right around the corner from the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, Masa is known for its classy margaritas (Habanero Watermelon! Ooh!) and tasty tapas -- both of which you'll be able to sample.


• 6pm — Tremont 647 (647 Tremont Street, natch). Just down the street from the Calderwood. Human Resources Coordinator Michael Comey is known for holding court here at Sunday brunch (occasionally, his concept of "brunch" also includes dinner, as well as dessert)

From there, we'll head down towards Mass Ave and the BU Theatre / Avenue of the Arts:


• 7pm — Parish Cafe II (493 Massachusetts Avenue, corner of Tremont Street). A popular Huntington staff hangout, due in large part to their enormous selection of over 100 beers. Plus, if you manage to drink all 100 beers in under six months, you'll be inducted into their Mug Club (along with several members of the 35 Below team)


• 8pm —Symphony8 (8 Westland Avenue). Another great pub close to the BU Theatre, Symphony8 has also been gracious enough to host us for some of our fantastic opening night parties (not to mention, provide us with some great food for our 35 Below parties).

Join us at one stop, or stick around for the whole night. The choice is yours! Got friends? Bring 'em! Don't have friends? I'm sorry to hear that, but there'll be plenty of potential new friends for you to meet! Along the way, mingle with our 35Below club members, creative team, and Huntington staff.

One more time, that's Monday, November 14. Put it in your Google Calendar. Share it on Facebook (and scope out all the other hotties who will be there! The 35 Below Team is not above Facebook stalking. It's cool, man, we all do it). Tweet it up. Check in on FourSquare, or +1 it (does anyone else actually Google+ besides me? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?).

Whatever you do, we'll see you there!

— Thom Dunn
Web & New Media Manager

(PS: Oh, and don't forget — you might want to bring a coat. I know, I know, it's hard for me to accept, too. But I do look pretty hip in this new pea coat!)