MUW theater department presents "Lysistrata"

Charlie Benton

Entertainment Editor

The MUW theater department performed the play “Lysistrata" by Aristophanes on Oct. 16, 17 and 18.

The play, a Greek comedy, chronicles the main character Lysistrata’s mission to end the Peloponnesian War by convincing the women of Athens to withhold all sexual privileges from their husbands until they negotiate peace.

While humorous, the play presented an anti-war message powerful to both the audience and the cast.

“With any role I play, I feel that I add to my abilities as an actor,” said Karen Thead, a junior theater major from Collinsville, Miss., who played Lysistrata in the production. "This role, although I am a strong person, she’s not the same as me. It was a challenge to recreate her on the stage.”

Thead also said that although it is not stated in the script, she believed that Lysistrata had lost her husband and possibly children to the war, convincing her to take drastic measures to end the fighting.

The play was presented in the Black Box theater in Cromwell Communication Center on the MUW campus and was directed by Lee Crouse, assistant professor of theater at MUW.

Upcoming theater events include The Blue Line Shakespeare presentation of “Twelfth Night” presented in Cromwell Communication Center on Jan. 22, 23, and 24 and “Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat” on Feb. 26.