Bacchae Explantory Plot Summary

I've been working as the dramaturg on our department's production of The Bacchae and I put together this explanatory summary (based on Paul Woodruff's translation). I thought it might be useful to post it here:

Bacchae Explanatory Plot Summary

By Dan Smith

PROLOGUE: Dionysus arrives and explains his back-story. He has been gathering followers throughout Asia. His mother is Semele and his father is Zeus. Semele’s sisters (Agave, Ino, and Autonoe) had spread a rumor that Semele’s pregnancy was the result of an affair with a mortal man, and that she was lying about Zeus being the father. Dionysus plans to punish Agave for this. But he also plans to punish her son Pentheus because Pentheus has banned the worship of Dionysus. In doing so, Pentheus is “waging war on the gods” and demonstrating hubris, which means placing himself above the gods. Dionysus tells us that he plans to go and join his followers on Mount Kithairon. (Lines 1-64)

CHORUS: Starts by announcing that they are from Asia and worship Dionysus. Then they invite others to worship Dionysus. Then it is time to sing the hymn to Dionysus (dithyramb). The hymn talks about how to celebrate Dionysus and Rhea/Cybele (Titan earth goddess), including carrying a thyrsus, which is a stick/staff with ivy. The first Strophe ends with the “Run Bacchae” section and suggests that their worship will bring the presence of the god. Antistrophe 1 tells the story of the birth of Dionysus. Strophe 2 returns to the idea of inviting people from Thebes to join the worshippers on the mountain. Antistrophe 2 goes back to the idea of the history of worshipping Dionysus, related to the worship of Cybele/Rhea. The Epode celebrates the arrival of Dionysus on the mountain and the miracles he is performing there. (Lines 65-166)

Scene 1: Tiresias and Cadmus make plans to join the Bacchae on the mountain. They are interrupted by Pentheus. Pentheus expresses anxiety about gender and sexuality, particularly his ability to control women. He repeats what Agave has taught him about his aunt Semele, rejecting the divinity of Dionysus. Tiresias uses the rhetoric of a philosopher to try to convince Pentheus that Dionysus is a god, and that Pentheus is demonstrating hubris is refusing to accept Dionysus. The Chorus interjects to agree with Tiresias and to disagree with Pentheus. Cadmus refers to Actaeon’s destruction because of his hubris in calling himself a better hunter than Artemis. Pentheus rejects their arguments and orders the arrest of Dionysus’s representative (who we know is actually Dionysus). (Lines 167-369)

CHORUS: Strophe 1 is a prayer to the goddess Reverence (Aidos), informing her that Pentheus has offended Dionysus. Antistrophe 1 discusses general qualities humans should have, implying that Pentheus is not behaving properly. Strophe 2 expresses a desire to go to places where worshipping Dionysus is accepted, invoking Aphrodite (goddess of beauty) in Cyprus and the Muses (9 goddesses of arts and literature) on Mt. Olympus. The Chorus is asking Dionysus to help travel to these places. Antistrophe 2 discusses how Dionysus can help humans to achieve the proper behaviors discussed in Antistrophe 1. (Lines 370-433)

Scene 2: Soldier (sometimes translated as “Servant”) returns with Dionysus. Pentheus and Dionysus argue about the worship of Dionysus, with Pentheus threatening to cut the prisoner’s hair, take away his thyrsus, and tie him up. Dionysus uses a lot of irony here, because the audience knows he is Dionysus, but Pentheus thinks he is a human follower of Dionysus. (Lines 434-518)

CHORUS: Strophe 1: Chorus addresses Dirke, the naiad (river nymph) associated with the River Dirke. The Chorus notes that Dirke was present at the birth of Dionysus and witnessed Zeus put the unborn child in his thigh, but they reproach Dirke for not recognizing Dionysus now. Antistrophe 1: Explains that Pentheus has imprisoned another follower of Dionysus and asks Dionysus to come down from Olympus and free the prisoner. Epode: Wondering where Dionysus is, the Chorus lists sites that are sacred to him: Mount Nysa, the Cave of Corycia (on Mount Parnassus), Mt. Olympus, Pieria (north of Olympus), and the Axius and Lydias Rivers (in modern-day Macedonia). (Lines 519-575)

Scene 3: Dionysus enlists the help of the Chorus to destroy Pentheus’s house. The Chorus perceives this as miraculous, celebrating Dionysus as son of Zeus. In human form, Dionysus recounts his escape from Pentheus. Pentheus enters and repeats his ban on worship of Dionysus. First Messenger arrives and describes what he saw on the mountain, which was not the sex orgy he expected to see. Still, his group attempted to capture the Bacchae, but then they became hunted by the Bacchae and their hunting dogs (echoes of Actaeon story). Messenger ends by saying maybe Pentheus should give in and worship Dionysus. Chorus agrees. Pentheus does not. Dionysus persuades Pentheus to dress as a woman in order to see the Bacchae on the mountain. (Lines 576-861)

THIRD CHORUS: Strophe expresses desire to dance for Dionysus, with an image of transforming into a young deer escaping from being hunted. The Refrain considers the ideas of wisdom, triumph over enemies, and love. Antistrophe: the gods punish hubris. Epode: People strive for happiness through wealth and power, but the best strategy is to be happy in an ordinary life. (Lines 862-911)

Scene 4: Pentheus enters, dressed as a woman and under the mind-altering influence of Dionysus. Dionysus ironically predicts aspects of Pentheus’s death, but Pentheus interprets these details as related to conquering the Bacchae and being celebrated as a hero. (Lines 912-976)

FOURTH CHORUS: Strophe: Calls on dogs to run to the mountain and predicts how Agave will kill Pentheus. Refrain: Calls on the goddesses Nemesis (Vengeance) and Themis (Justice) to destroy Pentheus, the son of Echion, because of his hubris. Antistrophe: Explains what Pentheus has done wrong and encourages the audience not to make the same mistakes. Epode: Calls on Bacchus to show himself as a bull or snake, and to destroy Pentheus. (Lines 977-1023)

Scene 5: Second Messenger describes what happened to Pentheus on the mountain. Chorus is pleased that Pentheus is dead, and the Messenger is unhappy about their finding joy in the death of Pentheus. (Lines 1024-1152)

FIFTH CHORUS: The Asian Bacchae celebrate the death of Pentheus. They point out that the Theban Bacchae’s celebration has turned into a funeral. (Lines 1153-1164)

Scene 6: Agave thinks she has killed a lion cub and enters triumphant, but Cadmus eventually leads her to realize that she has killed her son Pentheus. Dionysus tells Cadmus and Agave that they must go into exile. The Chorus ends the play by praising the gods, in particular the ingenuity of Dionysus in bringing about the unexpected events of the play. (Lines 1165-1392)

CFP: Dramaturgy Focus Group, ATHE 2019

ATHE 2019

SCENE CHANGES: PERFORMING, TEACHING AND WORKING THROUGH THE
TRANSITIONS

Orlando, FL | August 7-11, 2019

Dramaturgy Focus Group
Call for Proposals (Full Paper Panels, Full Roundtables, and Individual Papers)

The Dramaturgy Focus Group (DR) of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE)
invites proposals for full paper panels, full roundtables, and individual papers for the 2019 ATHE
conference theme, “Scene Changes: Performing, Teaching and Working Through the
Transitions” to be held in Orlando, Florida from August 7- 11, 2019.

The Dramaturgy Focus Group is interested in thinking through how dramaturgs and how acts of
dramaturgy may aid in “Scene Changes” (in any way that you may want to intersect with this
term). We are interested in panels and papers that can navigate the conference theme (the full
theme can be found at the end of this CFP) without feeling beholden to using the phrase “Scene
Changes” in the title of your panel or paper. We are always interested in papers and panel
submissions that think about dramaturgy in practical, theoretical, and educational ways.

Submission Deadlines:
• Individual papers proposals must be sent by Friday, October 12th to Martine Kei
Green-Rogers at martinekeigreen[at]gmail.com
• Complete panels must be submitted by Thursday, November 1 via the ATHE online form
at http://www.athe.org.

Tips for submitting proposals:
1. Proposals for complete panels (with all presenters assembled) should be submitted directly to
ATHE through the website at www.athe.org beginning September 21, 2018. The deadline for all
proposals is November 1, 2018.

2. If you would like assistance in panel coordination, please use the Dramaturgy Focus Group
Facebook page (ATHE Dramaturgy Focus Group), our Focus Group page on the ATHE website,
or email individual paper proposals to the conference planner ( martinekeigreen[at]gmail.com ) no
later than Friday, October 12th. Please note, this option does not guarantee
submission/acceptance to the conference.

3. Submissions may be either discipline specific (Dramaturgy = DR) or multidisciplinary (MD).
a. If your session addresses primarily Dramaturgy, then choose “Single Focus Group” on the
online proposal form. All DR-targeted proposals will be sent to the DR conference planner and
executive committee to be ranked. It is not necessary to contact the conference planner before
submitting a DR proposal (unless you have questions).
b. If your session addresses Dramaturgy but is also appropriate for another Focus Group, you
may select DR as one of your Focus Groups for an MD panel. Please contact the conference
planners for each of the targeted Focus Groups before submitting the panel. MD proposals are
ranked by each of its affiliated Focus Groups.

4. Notes for ATHE Conference 2019
a. Please note the conference dates this year. They are later than the dates of the 2018
conference. It will not be possible to request specific days for presentations.
b. ATHE is committed to maintaining current conference costs and encourages you to consider
going “tech-free” for your panel. Of course, if that is not possible, please be sure to request
technology when submitting your proposal. For questions about what is included in LCD/Tech
packages, please contact both ATHE’s Event Planner Briana Baker at brianab[at]ewald.com and
our Conference Planner, Andrew Gibb at conf2019[at]athe.org.
c. Participants will be limited to a maximum of two presentations, which include delivering a
paper, serving on a roundtable, or serving in an equivalent role in a different type of session.
There is no limit to the number of sessions that a person can Chair or Coordinate. Session
coordinators should expect to hear whether or not proposals have been accepted or rejected by
mid-February 2019.

Questions? Contact Dramaturgy (DR) Conference Planner - Martine Kei Green-Rogers at
martinekeigreen[at]gmail.com

The full conference theme is below:

As the lobby lights flicker, calling ATHE back to a second act in Orlando, it’s hard not to think
about all that has transpired in that city, in the world, on our stages, and in our classrooms since
last we gathered in The City Beautiful in 2013. Seemingly accelerated cycles of public violence,
political change, creative innovation, and generational expectations have led us to ponder what
comes next, and how exactly we’ve arrived at our present moment. Our return to the resort
space of the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress affords us the opportunity to pause and reflect on
the constantly changing scenery, to contemplate the forces that have thus far shaped our field
and our organization, and to debate possible visions of the future—for our art, our institutions,
and our students.

The city of Orlando and the state of Florida have over the years experienced dramatic scene
shifts, often presaging national changes. From colonial wars to contested elections, Indian
Removal Acts to mass shootings, urban experiments to moon shots—Orlando offers to the
visitor a panoramic background of troubled pasts and future visions, prompting us to consider
the possibilities and consequences of our scene changes. The city’s various theme parks provide their own encapsulated representations of past and future, visions that are themselves constantly
changing, both in their built scenic environments and in the ideologies that such scenery
materializes.

The 2019 Conference Committee invites you back to Orlando for an exploration of all that the
theme of “Scene Changes” suggests. What are the practical challenges of scene changes for
playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, designers, actors, stage managers, and stage crews? For
whom is a scene change an interlude of quiet contemplation, and for whom is it the busiest
moment of the night? What is the history of the scene shift, and how have theatre artists dealt
with changes in production methods and audience tastes? How do scene shifts shape
audiences’ experiences? How will our field respond to the challenges and opportunities
represented by recent changes in leadership, and by shifting economies of production? How do
we reflect on techniques of theatre education and scholarship in this changing moment? How
can we begin to proactively change the scenes of the theatrical climate and structure? Perhaps
most importantly, how will we make use of the present moment to redress previous wrongs,
preserve what is important, and move forward into the future?

Come to Orlando for a change in scenery, and stay for a creative contemplation of that special
moment in between, when we collectively sit in the dark, taking in what we’ve just seen, and
imagining what might come next.

CFP: Dramaturgy as Public Criticism for ATHE 2019 in Orlando

CFP: Dramaturgy as Public Criticism

A multi-disciplinary panel to be submitted to Theory & Criticism and Dramaturgy Focus Groups

Association for Theatre in Higher Education conference, Orlando, Florida, August 7-11, 2019

Public theatre criticism is disappearing from traditional outlets (periodicals) at the same as dramaturgs and education/audience development associates are increasingly developing initiatives and programming to help audiences make meaning out of their theatrical experiences. Program notes, audience study guides, interviews, talk backs, lobby displays, reading groups, pre/post show lectures, and interactive experiences are now regular features of theatre-going across theatres of various sizes, budgets, and missions. These dramaturgical efforts function to contextualize and offer frameworks for interpretation. In doing so, they overlap with the missions and activities of the public humanities, public history, and museum studies.

This panel aims to explore how public-focused dramaturgy (as opposed to production-focused dramaturgy) produces and teaches theatre criticism. Potential topics include:

·       The place of theory in public-oriented dramaturgical practice (i.e. a Foucauldian or Althusserian lobby display)

·       Comparative explorations between classroom/academic criticism and public dramaturgy

·       Canons and vocabularies of interpretation and aesthetics for the public

·       The place and problems of affect in audience development

·       Best (and worst) practices for public criticism

·       Public dramaturgy as public pedagogy

Interested scholars and dramaturgs should send a brief abstract (250 words) and CV or bio to Dan Smith (dansmith_251[at]yahoo.com) and Gina Di Salvo (gina.disalvo[at]gmail.com) by Sept 30 in preparation for panel submission in advance of ATHE’s deadline.  

Interview with Misanthrope Actor Katelyn Hodge

Interview with Katelyn Hodge (Arsinoe)

DS: Who is Arsinoé?

KH: Arsinoé is a woman who goes for what she wants. She is unafraid of a challenge, and will continue to push anything and anyone that might stand in her way. She's passionate about what she likes and what she doesn't, and that includes people. She's also got a pretty killer laugh.

DS: What is the biggest challenge or most fun part of playing this role?

KH: I think the biggest challenge is also what is the most fun about Arsinoe: the character is so unique in that she's talked about multiple times by other characters before she walks onto stage. In fact, she is actually ridiculed right before she enters stage for the first time. That makes my job as actor so much freeing, because no choice is too large or too off the wall, because everyone already has an idea of who she is before I enter. I love being able to mess with those expectations.

I also love having a group of incredible scenes, and a very talented cast to play with. That’s the word I keep coming back to: play, because the level of talent and the level of respect for each other in this cast and crew are both so heightened that we can continue to work hard but manage to laugh ourselves sore every night.

DS: How does this role compare to other roles you have played at MSU?

KH: This role is totally different from previous ones here at MSU, because its a much older period piece than I've had the opportunity to do before. I'm exploring so much more in depth about the 1700s than I had previously, which has been so cool.

I think the best part is that her issues are still things people deal with today, a loss of love and having a "frenenemy." Its still really easy to connect to her, even though she existed 300 years ago.