If Zana Previti is looking to Medusa and the Gorgons for inspiration, she must be looking with a mirror.
Allusions to Greek mythology play a central role in the University of Idaho MFA student”s original play, “The Gorgon.”
Even the title of the play brings to mind the well-known story of Medusa and the somewhat lesser-known story of her and her sisters, the Gorgons.
Following the oral tradition of ancient Greeks such as Homer, Previti said her play parallels the old Greek myths in both the medium used to present the narrative and in the concept that monsters are among us.
The play about an aging artist and the metaphorical monsters that manifest within everyone was created over the course of just one semester. This week, for the first time, it was performed for live audiences.
Despite having more than six years of creative writing experience to draw upon, Zana said “The Gorgon” was something very new for her.
Previti said in the past she has primarily worked with fiction and poetry, but decided to try playwriting after Robert Caisley, head of the Dramatic Writing Program at UI, invited her to an MFA workshop.
Previti said she enjoys trying new things in her writing and writing the play”s central character, Jillian Gordon, proved to be an interesting experience because of the character”s age.
“I think it”s really wonderful to write parts that are out of your own experience,” Previti said. “I”ve never been a 70-year-old woman so the challenge, I think, was finding a part that”s authentic to who that human is.”
Before becoming a writer, Previti said she worked a few years as a high school English teacher at both Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C., and at the College Preparatory School in Oakland, California.
Previti said these jobs were rewarding, especially because she was able to help kids discover more about the world around them.
However, despite the joy she found in teaching, Previti said she realized that she needed to pursue her creative drive in order to be truly happy.
Nina Rydalch | Argonaut
University of Idaho MFA student Zana Previti alludes to Greek mythology in her original play “The Gorgon” which will be performed this weekend at the Forge Theatre. Admission is free for students and $10 for the general public.
AnaSofia Villanueva, the director of the production, said as a staged reading, “The Gorgon” is not exactly a typical play.
“It”s not a fully staged production, or anything like that,” Villanueva said, “It”s not staged at all, but there”s an element that you want it to feel like a production.”
Villanueva said while the main focus of the staged reading is words rather than actions, it is set apart from other kinds of creative writing in that elements such as lighting, sound, clothing and live actors are used to add a new dynamic and to enhance the story.
As a result, Villanueva said the rehearsal process is much shorter than the full productions she is used to directing.
The first rehearsal was on Sept. 5, a mere week and a half before the first performance.
Villanueva said such a short rehearsal period means there is less time for actors to get into character, and choices pertaining to how to portray characters must be made more quickly.
The UI senior, who has been directing for the past four years, said working on the play has been a new experience for her.
Villanueva said the greatest challenge of the play has been “trying to connect something that is such a beautiful piece of literature and kind of bringing that into the theater realm a little bit.”
Villanueva said on paper, the story is beautifully ambiguous and the reader is left wondering what the monster of the story really is and whether it is a tangible being, a metaphor, or both. The play is open to a public audience, especially those interested in mystery, metaphors, or monsters.
Performances were held Wednesday and Thursday. There are four more showings of the play, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Forge Theatre in Moscow.
Admission is free for students and $10 for the general public.
Nina Rydalch can be reached at arg-arts.uidaho or on Twitter @NinaRobin7