Socrates on Trial

Adapted by Andrew Irvine
Directed by Joan Bryans

SOCRATES ON TRIALis an abridged adaptation of several classic Greek works: Aristophanes’ slapstick comedy,Clouds, which was first performed in 423 BCE; Plato’s dramatic monologue,Apology, which reports the speech Socrates gave to the jury after he was charged with corrupting the young and failing to honour the city’s gods; and Plato’sCritoandPhaedo, two dialogues leading up to Socrates’ execution in 399 BC.

In Act 1, which is part biting satire, part vulgar gossip and part bawdy vaudeville show, Aristophanes ridicules the influence teachers like Socrates have on the young.

In Act 2 and Act 3, Socrates will do his best to explain why he thinks he hasn’t been a corrupter of the young, and how he think Aristophanes has distorted the truth for the sake of a few cheap laughs.

During an Athenian trial, juries weren’t quiet. If people thought someone was stretching the truth, they wouldn’t hesitate to yell out.

CAST - ACT I

Prologue ......Steve Baumber
Townsfolk ......Luke Day, Fez Skala, Arash ‘Freedom’ Virani,
Kuei-ming Lin, Metta McLeod, John Harris,
Erin Davies, Daryl Hutchings
Chorus ......Sara Dickhout, Amanda Konkin, Shaun Omaid, Vanessa Parent, Anthony Walmsley
Strepsiades ......James Gill
Doorkeepers ......Meg Brock, Steve Baumber
Socrates ......Dave Campbell
Students ......Erin Davies, Kuei-ming Lin, Metta McLeod,
Fez Skala, Arash ‘Freedom’ Virani
Pheidipedes ......Anthony Walmsley
Strong Argument ......Daryl Hutchings
Weak Argument ......Steve Baumber

CAST - ACTS II & III

Prologue ......Kuei-ming Lin
Drummer ......Kuei-ming Lin
Archon ......Luke Day
Lykon ......Steve Baumber
Anytus ......Amanda Konkin
Meletus ......Daryl Hutchings
Guards ......Erin Davies, Fez Skala
Socrates ......Paul Toolan
Chorus ......Sara Dickhout, Metta McLeod, Vanessa Parent,
Shaun Omaid, Anthony Walmsley, Amanda Konkin
Thetis ......Sara Dickhout
Achilles ......Anthony Walmsley
Hecklers ......Dave Campbell, John Harris, James Gill, Kuei-ming Lin, Arash ‘Freedom’ Virani,
Crito ......John Harris
The Laws ......Steve Baumber, Daryl Hutchings
Xanthippe ......Vanessa Parent
Executioner ......Luke Day

The Production Team

Producer .....Andrew Irvine
Director .....Joan Bryans
Assistant Director .....Frances Herzer
Composer .....Michael Rummen
Set Designer .....John R. Taylor
Lighting Designer .....Mimi Abrahams
Costume Designer .....Catherine E. Carr
Sound Designer .....Darren W. Hales
Properties .....Rachel Glass
Stage Manager .....Laura Moore
Assistant Stage Managers .....Catherine Carlson, Nola Semczyszya
Assistant to the Director .....Daniel Unruh
Assistant to the Lighting Designer .....Daniel Kawasaki
Graphics & Program .....Sandi McDonald
Set Crew .....Steve Baumber, Luke Day
Photographers .....Doug Williams, Sara Dickhout
Documentarian .....Antoine Bourges