Introducing the Valentine's Day Cast

Casting for the Valentine's 2014 production closed just last week, and we're thrilled to unveil for you our talented (and ridiculously handsome) cast.  

Many thanks to everyone who came out last week, and to all who submitted (over 300 potential Persephones by the end!).  None of you made our job easy, and we thank you for that.

Now, without further ado, the cast!

CUPID. James Parenti
The god of Love and Passion

From Act IV: 

When I - I!  Who am older the the stars,

More ancient than the grinning lanthorn fish,

Antique when Time lay mewling in his crib -

Whose merest whistle causes Zeus to flee,

Who have ruined nations with an apple,

I!  Who never took a mortal to his bed -

Although, I grant, your kind I've stooped to tickle

Once or twice...

(See it here on YouTube.)

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PSYCHE. Erin Nelson
The mortal who captures Cupid's heart.

From Act II:

And there another voice, although fainter than the last.  

But no, I will believe it was the wind.  I will be rational, 

I will be calm.  I am myself.  Myself alone.  This is my face, 

these my arms, these my hands…held in another's hand.  

O God!  But no.  I am not mad.  Will not be mad.
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APHRODITE. Laura Hooper
The goddess of Love and Fertility; Cupid's mother.

From Act I:

She is gone.  And you have no need to speak.

I only longed to look on you.  They say

That you are beautiful!  Are you beautiful?

You must think yourself very beautiful

To have gathered so many hearts with so...

Little effort.

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PERSEPHONE. Gwenevere Sisco
The goddess of Spring and Death; Rival to the Loves

From Act II:

O!  If thy mortal plaything knew the sins

Heaped on thy burnished head, I wonder if,

Poor butterfly, she'd love thee.  Thy true face,

O wicked Lust, would haunt her to her death.

(To PSYCHE.)  Shall I show it thee?

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ADONIS. Parker Madison
A mortal, once beloved by Cupid, 
now enslaved to Aphrodite and Persephone

From Act IV:

I looked into his early-morning eyes - that sometimes

have shone silver when he's glad - and hoped therein

to see myself at last.  But as I gazed on him, my sight

grown weak, my mind befogged with a rising scream,

the smell of rotting festers already in my nose - I say,

as I felt my soul slip down through Hades' viscous maw

- I saw within his tender, silver eyes that all his sight

was still of her.  All all his thoughts possessed by her.

And all my death still reeked of her.  Of Her!  Whom

he hath made his Bride.

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DAREIA. Laura Iris Hill
Psyche's elder sister, married to Chrysos

From Act III:

I?  Who have a babe beneath her breast?

A mother must not murder.  But you are barren.

Take you the knife!

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LIVIA. Kelly Zekas
Psyche's younger sister, she loves the Cyclops

From Act II:

What's this?  What's been going on?

Everything happens when Livia's gone!

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CHRYSOS. Patrick Marran
Dareia's rich husband with a straying heart

From Act II:

One kiss, I beg thee.  I am a man parched

For thy lips, for thy breasts, for thy…other parts.

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BRONTES. Jon Adam Ross
A "Cyclops" with only one eye, Chrysos' only friend

From Act III:

I do not lie.  Why should I lie?  I don't.

In truth, I lie.  And hence I will remain--

No longer here, lest by that little lie

I lengthwise lie, never to lie again.

Farewell!