Quintessence concludes its fourth season of progressive classic theatre with its first American masterpiece, Eugene O’Neill’s MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA, beginning previews on Wednesday, April 2 at 6:30pm and open on Saturday, April 5 at 7pm.
The Mannons are an upstanding and wealthy New England family: successful shipbuilders, civic leaders and military servicemen. Despite attempts to forget dark secrets in the proud family’s past, the grand Mannon estate is built in hate, standing as a grave for all living Mannons. Incest, adultery, murder and suicide ensue as the Mannon descendents attempt to escape their curse, believing in the power of love for salvation. With the searing pain that only family can inflict, O’Neill creates a universal tragedy that takes us into the darkness of our deepest secrets. Lock the door, nail down the shutters, and prepare for the ancient to collide with the modern as Quintessence presents all three parts of O’Neill’s trilogy, promising an epic and devastating theatrical experience you will never forget.
Following the success of Jean Anouilh’s adaptation of Sophocles’ ANTIGONE, Quintessence continues to explore the power of classical drama adapted for the contemporary world with O’Neill’s masterful adaptation of Aeschylus’ THE ORESTEIA.
Janis Dardaris (Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest and Arkadina in The Seagull) returns to Quintessence to lead the ensemble as Christine Mannon. Following her celebrated performance as Jennifer in Martin Crimp’s The Misanthrope, Mattie Hawkinson returns to Philadelphia as Lavinia Mannon. They are joined by Quintessence ensemble member Josh Carpenter (Hamlet and Iago in Othello) as Orin Mannon. The remainder of the cast will be announced shortly.
Quintessence Theatre Group is a professional classic theatre, dedicated to the performance and adaptation of epic works of classic literature and drama for the contemporary stage, which ignites the mind, body and soul through the power of the actor, design and spoken word.
MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA plays April 2 – April 27.