Lysistrata
Hudson Shakespeare
Company
By Artisophanes
Directed by Jean Arlea
Battle of the sexes meets pacifist movements in ancient Greece. 
For the third installment of its summer Shakespeare Festival, HSC returns to the rich repertoire of Greek Theater.  Having first explored the political and personal tragedy of Antigone in 2002, HSC presents a funnier, but darker fair, the story of Lysistrata and her move to extreme measures in order to stop an insane war.  Seeing her friends die off one by one and their wives being widowed and children fatherless, she feels she must act and make an effective show.  By storming the city's center, the Acropolis, seizing the war funds and commanding all of the women in her band from abstaining from making love to their husbands, she brings the city of Athens to a halt.  While at first considered a joke by their civic fathers, the story takes a more serious turn as the women's resolve is shown and the men's desire for normalcy prevail.  Aristophones was a playwright who had a great distaste for those in power at his time and how they used it.  His plays often feature satirical jabs at those who command, but also those who power is thrust upon.  He often had the protestor become the thing they were protesting and showing that a middle ground from both sides was the way to travel.  Lysistrata finds a zeal for her cause and relishes having power for the first time in her life, but comes to realize when the game has gone too far. 






















To see more Lysistrata production pictures click here























Click link below to read Article on Lysistrata

"Lysistrata" - Dallas Weekly, Dallas PA Article

























Cast
Andrea Biggs      Lysistrata
Laura Malone     Kleonike
Jean Arlea    Myrrhine
Tyleen KellyLampito
Hannah Wolfe    Ismenia/First Woman/
      Flute Player
      /Chorus Woman/Peace
Cathy HershPolicewoman/Spartan Woman
     /Old Woman/Slave
     /Spartain Singer
Doriane Swain    Chorus Woman/Korinthian Girl
Chance Parker    Chorus Woman/Third Woman
Matthew Woods Commissioner
Jon Ciccarelli       Chorus Man/Chipper
Jason Bonthron   Chorus Man
Jonathan Brown Kineseis



























Performance Locations
Monday, July 12, 7:00 PM, Shipyard Park, Hoboken, NJ
Tuesday, July 13, 7:30 PM, Meadowland Park, South Orange, NJ
Thursday, July 15, 8:00 PM, College Misericordia, Dallas, PA
Monday, July 19, 7:00 PM, Pier A Park, Hoboken, NJ
Tuesday, July 20, 7:30 PM, David Brearly High School Field, Kenilworth, NJ 
Thursday, July 22, 7:00 PM, Hamilton Park, Jersey City, NJ
Saturday, July 24, 1:00 PM, Stratford Library Amphitheater, Stratford, CT
Monday, July 26, 7:00 PM, Sinatra Park, Hoboken, NJ
Wednesday, July 28,, 7:30 PM, Memorial Park, Hackensack, NJ
Thursday, July 29, 8:00 PM, Ellsworth Park, Union City, NJ
Friday, July 30, 7:00 PM, Van Vorst Park, Jersey City, NJ











































































































































































   




To see more Lysistrata production pictures click here


To see other 2004 Show Pages: Shakespeare's Valentine's, Run for Your Wife, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Coriolanus, Lysistrata, Cymbeline, Gruesome, Gory and Grotesque Tale of Edgar Allan Poe, Othello

To view other seasons click on the "Past Productions" tab on the left hand menu
The female chorus (Chance Parker, Hannah Wolfe and Doriane Swaine) offer a little discramer at the beginning of the show that the production contains subject matter that may or may not offend. Hackensack Cultural Arts Center, Hackensack, NJ
An annoyed Lysistrata (Andrea Biggs) grits her teeth and listens to her friend Kleonike (Laura Malone) go on and on about her house, husband and everyday life while there are more important issues like a war to stop. Sinatra Park, Hoboken, NJ
As the women of Athens gather the welcome Lampito (Tyleen Kelly), a Spartan from the city that they are fighting. WIth the women of Sparta on board it looks like their plan has a chance of suceeding, although the idea of denying sex to their husbands doesnt' go over too well. Sinatra Park, Hoboken, NJ
The commission of public safety (Matthew Woods) leads city men (Jon Ciccarelli and Jason Bonthron) to take back the parthenon and the city treasury by smoking the women out. Pier A Park, Hoboken, NJ
As the men commence to smoke out the women they, water is thrown on them and a skirmish breaks out. Sinatra Park, Hoboken, NJ
The commissioner (Matthew Woods) is captured and forced to undergo a makeover with laurel leaves as Kleonike (Laura Malone) and Myrhinne (Jean Arlea) look on in approval. Pier A Park, Hoboken, NJ
As the men retreat, Lysistrata has more things to worry about as the women grow restless at the thought of not haveing sex with their men. Above, an Athenian woman (Chance Parker) has spontaneously gotten pregnant and must give birth immediately and leave the temple. Followed in tow by her would be midwife (Doriane Swain). Pier A Park, Hoboken, NJ
Myrhinne (Jean Arlea) is shocked as her own husband, Kinesias, approaches the temple in a bid to persude her to come out. As Lysistrata (Andrea Biggs) tries to calm her friend down, the horny Kleonike (Laura Malone) has her own thoughts on how she would like to handle Kinesias. Van Vorst Park, Jersey City, NJ
Kinesias (Jonathan Brown) uses his VERY small infant to try and get his wife to leave the temple and come home even to point of mimicking a voice for the infant. Van Vorst Park, Jersey City, NJ
The men of Athens and Sparta gather to decide how to handle the situation as a woman representing peace (Hannah Wolfe) arrives at the behest of Lysistrata. Kinesias (Jonathan Brown) hurridly wants to make peace. Pier A Park, Hoboken, NJ
The commissioner (Matthew Woods) agrees and the rest of the men agree to make peace and thank Lysistrata (Andrea Biggs) for helping them come to their senses. The entire group dances in celebration at the new peace. Van Vorst Park, Jersey City, NJ