WSU Hosts 17th Annual Greek Festival


A scene from Euripedes' Hecuba

OGDEN, Utah —Weber State University presents the 17th annual WSU Greek Festival, Sept. 15-17. The Euripedes’ play Hecuba, produced by The Classical Greek Theater Festival of Westminster College, will be presented September 17. Other events include lectures and presentations.

Week’s Events

The festival opens with a presentation about ancient Greece co-sponsored by the WSU Anthropology Club on Sept. 15 at 12:30 p.m. in the Social Science Building Room 103. On Sept. 16 at 12:30 p.m. a reading of Ecclesiazusae (Sexual Congress) by Greek satirist Aristophanes’ will be held in the Stewart Library Hetzel-Hoellein Room. The production is recommended for mature audiences only, as it contains mature themes and language.

“Aristophanes is not known for his political correctness, but he is known for his biting satire,” said series producer Caril Jennings, a former WSU staff member. “He is always in style because there always seems to be a surplus of stupidity to be satirized.”

On Sept. 17, WSU’s Amnesty International will co-sponsor the lecture, “Women, Children and War,” by political science assistant professor Stephanie Wolfe. The lecture will address how contemporary news reflects the age-old story of innocent victims of war and will be held at 12:30 p.m. in the Hetzel-Hoellein Room.

Featured Play: Hecuba

The main production of the festival, Hecuba, will be held later that evening at 7:30 p.m. in Shepherd Union Wildcat Theater. James Svendsen, the director of the Classical Greek Theatre Festival at Westminster College, will deliver a pre-show lecture at 6:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Fireplace Lounge near the Wildcat Theater.

In the play, Queen Hecuba grieves for the loss of Troy and the death of her husband and children. After learning of the murder of her youngest son, Hecuba seeks revenge. Euripides plots Hecuba’s journey from vulnerable victim to ruthless avenger in three rhetorical debates.

 “Hecuba is one of the saddest plays ever written,” Jennings said. “Considering the current news about women, children and war, it only reminds us that we haven’t learned much in 2,500 years except how to make misery bigger, faster, harder.”

Tickets to Hecuba can be purchased at the Dee Events Center Ticket Office, by calling 801-626-7000 or by visiting weberstatetickets.com. Tickets will cost $10 for adults and $8 for students. All other events for the WSU Greek Festival are free and open to the public.

Ogden Community Greek Festival, will follow on Sept. 26-27 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church (674 42nd street, South Ogden, Utah).

Schedule at a Glance:

  • Sept 15 at 12:30 p.m. Anthropology Club presents a discussion about the world of ancient Greece, Social Science Building Room 103.
  • Sept. 16 at 12:30 p.m. Greek Readers Theatre/Ecclesiazusae "Sexual Congress," Stewart Library Hetzel-Hoellein Room.
  • Sept 17 at 12:30 p.m. "Women, Children and War," Stewart Library Hetzel-Hoellein Room. The lecture by Stephanie Wolfe, political science assistant professor, is co-sponsored by Amnesty International.
  • Sept 17 at 6:30 p.m. "Infotainment" lecture, Jim Svendsen, director, Classical Greek Theatre Festival, Shepherd Union Building Fireplace Lounge.
  • Sept 17 at 7:30 pm. Euripides’ Hecuba, presented by Classical Greek Theater Festival, Student Union Building Wildcat Theater.
 
All events are open to the public and free, with the exception of Hecuba, which will have a ticket charge to support the cost of bringing the Classical Greek Theatre Festival production to WSU.

For more information on the festival and a full list of activities, visit community.weber.edu/greekfestival.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.


For high-resolution photos, visit the following links:

wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2014-photos/August-2014/i-zTQGHkN/0/XL/hecuba%20publicity1-XL.jpg

wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2014-photos/August-2014/i-K28BQ4D/0/XL/hecuba%20publicity2-XL.jpg

wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2014-photos/August-2014/i-q3sgZ3W/0/XL/hecuba%20pulicity3-XL.jpg

wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2014-photos/August-2014/i-F8jdTQ3/0/XL/hecuba%20publicity4-XL.jpg
Author:
Marcus Jensen, Office of Marketing & Communications
801-626-7295 • marcusjensen@weber.edu
 
Contact:
Kathryn MacKay, history professor
801-626-6782 • kmackay@weber.edu
 
Caril Jennings, WSU Greek Festival series producer
801-549-7235 • cjennings@weber.edu