Sappho In Love welcomes you to the Isle of Lesbos
Do note that this is only one quarter of the "wet and wild" action.
Welcome to Cheap Seats, where every Thursday we’ll talk to folks behind the scenes of the stage events opening around town, in order to give you a flavor of the productions that won’t be found in any of the promo materials.
Sappho In Love, StageQ, (Feb. 12-27)
Promo pull-quote: “Sappho In Love, written by the popular Carolyn Gage (Ugly Ducklings, Second Coming Of Joan Of Arc) and directed by StageQ favorite Katy Conley, is a lesbian midsummer night's dream with the goddesses of celibacy, love, and marriage competing for Sappho's attention amid poetry contests, meteor showers, lessons on lesbian love-making, romantic trysting, mix-ups and disguises. Wet and wild romantic comedy!”
What it’s really about: Amid all the re-imagined Greek goddesses on the Isle of Lesbos, and the Shakespearean misunderstandings, double entendres, and plot twists is a simple message about choosing love that spans both genders and all sexual orientations. “It explores whether it’s possible to have love, autonomy, and commitment all at the same time,” says StageQ artistic director Tara Ayers.
Fun fact: The A.V. Club is admittedly pretty spotty when it comes to geography, so maybe this is common knowledge, but the Isle of Lesbos is a real island located in the Aegean Sea. “Both the men and women who live on Lesbos are called Lesbians,” says Ayers.
Best reason to try it: Beyond the comic potential, and the fun-for-everyone lesbian love lessons replete with ear-licking instructions, the massive cast of more than 20 women includes members from the local aerial dance troupe, Cycropia. “Even though it’s not a musical, there’s a chorus made up of Sappho’s students who sing, chant, and dance,” says Ayers. “It’s fun, fantastical dance, and Cycropia is one of only four or five aerial troupes in the country. It’s not a huge chunk of the play, but it’s a lovely interlude.”
