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The Roman Forum Project 2003
Virtual Live 2002
The Roman Forum 2000
Birth of the Christ Child 1999
Still Lies Quiet Truth 1998
Silent Orpheus 1997
Orpheus 1997
The White Whale 1997
The Candide Campaign 1996
Gutter City 1995
LittleHamlet 1995
The Cake of the Desert 1996
I Object 1995
Christmas 1994
"Orpheus: sono la musica" (I Am the Music, 1997) was the first of two performances in the Plaintext Players' Orpheus series (the other is "Silent Orpheus"). Inaugurated for documenta X, the Orpheus series was an original variant on the Orpheus myth set in Venice and the DownUnderWorld.
In Orpheus: sono la musica, Orpheus is a hapless musician pursued by Zeus, CEO of MountOlympus Records. In a tragic accident, Orpheus' wife, Eurydice, is electrocuted by a rogue mic and Orpheus must bargain with Hades, the lord of the DownUnderWorld, in order to get her back. On their way out of hell, however, disaster strikes, closely followed by the Maenads...
The Plaintext Players would like to thank Kunstradio Berlin, Thomas Buesch, and Thessy Mehrain for their help in setting up this performance.
[ complete performance transcript ]
[ cast and performance ]
Orpheus says, "I dreamed all afternoon about that one. And I call up the director and say, 'I want to play the snake, OK?'"
Digital.Director says, "Snakes are only symbols."
Hades says, "Yeah, no symbols are allowed in hell."
Digital.Director says, "Look around you, we got a three-headed dog, we got black koalas, we got dancing rocks, what's with the snake obsession?"
Orpheus exclaims, "And she says, 'Hey, good news--you get to play that rock star--Orpheus!'"
Digital.Director says, "Snakes don't play."
Orpheus asks, "All I wanted to play was the Prologue and the snake, OK? So she says, 'No, I play the Prologue, remember? *I always* play the Prologue. And by the way, there will be no snake.'"
Digital.Director says, "Right, no snake. And if I hear any more lip, no Prologue either."
Orpheus lets out a long sigh and says, "I need a drink."
Digital.Director says, "You guys are going to get a COW, and see how great a drama you can make with that."
[from Orpheus: sono la musica]