Rice Theatre to present ‘Eurydice’ Feb. 12-14, 18-20

Rice University Theatre will present “Eurydice,” Sarah Ruhl’s reimagining of the classic Greek myth about a young girl, Eurydice, who travels into the underworld to reunite with her father. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Feb. 12-13 and Feb. 18-20 at Hamman Hall, 6100 Main St. A 3 p.m. matinee is scheduled for Feb. 14.

Rice juniors Yena Han and Justin Bernard star in “Eurydice.” Photo by Caitlin Young/Rice University

When Eurydice’s husband, Orpheus, risks his own life to enter the depths of Hades to rescue her, Eurydice must make a choice between following Orpheus back to life or remaining with her father in her new home. “Eurydice” is a love story of sacrifice, the battle between life and death, and a raining elevator, taking place in a hell where the devil rides around on a tricycle, according to Christina Keefe, the show’s director, professor in the practice and director of Rice’s Theatre Program.

The Rice Theatre Program was awarded the Houston Press 2014 Theater Award for Best College Season. Keefe’s recent directing credits include “Bound” for the Houston Grand Opera’s East + West Series and Rice’s productions of a “Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Servant of Two Masters.” She recently acted in the Classical Theatre Company’s production of “Henry V.”

Mark Krouskop, lecturer and production manager for the Rice Theatre Program, who designed the outdoor set for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the slums for “Little Shop of Horrors” and the Italian village in “Servant of Two Masters,” will be the set designer for “Eurydice.” Krouskop has done set design for the Houston Shakespeare Festival’s productions of “A Comedy of Errors” and “Hamlet.” Heather Breikjern will be the costume designer for this show. Breikjern was recently assistant costume shop manager at the Alley Theatre and has also taught at Santa Fe Opera, Goodspeed Musical Theatre and North Carolina School of the Arts. Her most recent credits include the costume design for Rice’s production of “Much Ado About Nothing.”

Tickets are $5 for Rice students; $8 for Rice alumni, faculty, staff and senior citizens; $10 for general admission; and $5 for groups of 10 or more. Tickets are available in advance at 713-348-4005. For more information on the performances, visit http://arts.rice.edu. For a Rice University map and parking information, visit http://parking.rice.edu.