Trojan Women
Oct. 13-18
The Auditorium Arena Theatre, Lansing
$12 General, $10 Seniors, $8 Student
7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 2 p.m. showings

Mixing a Greek classic with Asian theatre and conveying lessons learned from an ancient war to a contemporary audience is no small feat. Michigan State University's Department of Theatre is putting on Trojan Women with guest director and Provost Visiting Faculty Artist, David Furumoto, who is happily taking on the challenge.

Trojan Women is Euripedes' cautionary tale of war from the perspective the women of Troy, whose men are at battle. Through debate and storytelling, the women gain communal strength and political understanding. With Furumoto's hand in directing, Trojan Women is not only modernized, but also comes with Asian theatre flair.

Furumoto has an M.F.A and B.A. from the University of Hawaii specializing in Asian theatre acting, is a Master Teacher of Kabuki and Kyogen Theatre, and has professional certification in Japanese classical dance. Mr. Furumoto is currently an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Though Trojan Women will be infused with Asian influence, the setting and the script will not stray from its origins. Interjected into the play will be Japanese Kabuki and Bunraku styles.

"Many of the actors will be using a Japanese dance fan to perform mimed or dance like movements to support the text of the play," Furumoto said. "The concept of a male actor playing a female character will be explored to help underline the fact that many times what is considered a beautiful woman is really an artificial concept created by men rather than women. The use of the voice will also be utilizing many Japanese theatre conventions to bring more power and excitement to the actors' vocal technique."

Furumoto believes that classic tales, like Euripides works well with Asian theatre, which he says has "a wonderful theatricality which I feel we in the West have in some cases lost touch, with the desire for "realism/slice-of-life" theatre. There is a grandeur and sweep that can be found still in these theatre forms."

Furumoto believes that people unfamiliar with Asian theatre will enjoy being exposed to a different perspective as well as find it a timely piece.

"With the world in the state that it is in now, conflicts in various parts of the world, we should be reflecting on what it means when war happens. It does not matter on which side of the debate you are on, we should reflect on the aftermath of armed conflict. Certainly the Greeks did with this play by Euripedes."