By Matthew Balkum, B.F.A. '20, musical theater
In the states of antiquity, the mythic and mystic possessed obvious function. Now, just as then, stories and lore enable a negotiation of realities, mythic and mundane, in washing away societal grievance and transgression in the communal navigation of history, identity, and tradition. They are a communal acknowledgement of a shared history, and provide a clear sense of identity than physical demarcation may not. Yet, stories may equally alienate entire populations through that which is untold or forgotten. That which is not said often speaks louder than that which is.
All too familiar are the ancient tales of abduction, assault, and coercion of women, as well as the strong-handed retribution of dissatisfied deities. The presence of patriarchal dominance and authoritarian pretext reflects the conscience of these myths, just as what we selectively retain generationally reflects our own.
Our dramaturgical work for this project has focused on the exploration of the purpose of story. Myth historically emerges out of a necessity to negotiate the reality of being. The horrors, complications, queries, and trials of these stories serve that function, giving voice to other experiences without amplifying problematization within them. We must not confine these stories to stagnancy and deny them the discourse of reciprocal telling. It is the telling that allows a recognition of the depth and complexity of our experience. Does this allow us to grasp at reflections of our being in the pool of human history? That which is made to seem distant and epic may still be located within our physical selves. The vile disgust at some myths—as well as the great joy in others—lives in the body and makes a home there. It is tangible. The grandiosity of these stories and their romanticization over time may tempt a deep, longing gaze at the age of antiquity—the cradle of patriarchal democracy, the time of deities and heroic mortals—yet, those who gaze too long and too deep into the reflection may lose sight of the living story that surrounds them, and the calcification of the image before them.
