Shackouls Honors College presents βThyestesβ Sept. 24-25 at ΊΪΑΟΙη
Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.βStudents in Mississippi Stateβs Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College will present the tragedy βThyestesβ by Roman playwright Seneca the Younger on Sept. 24 and 25 as part of the universityβs annual observation of Classical Week, a celebration of Greek, Roman and other cultures of the ancient world.
Free and open to the public, doors open at 5:40 p.m. each night for the 6 p.m. performances at Lee Hallβs Bettersworth Auditorium.
Directed by Senior Faculty Fellow and Professor Donna Clevinger, the cast is comprised of honors students from a wide variety of disciplines representing every academic college at ΊΪΑΟΙη. The play also benefits from interdisciplinary contributions including 2D and 3D scenery prepared by students in the College of Architecture, Art and Design, music composed by a recent physics and astronomy graduate, and sound effects by a computer science student. Two younger cast members are students at Partnership Middle School.
The 70-minute play, centered on unchecked ambition and revenge, is known as βone of the darkest works of classical literature,β Clevinger said, and may have disturbing or uncomfortable elements, including the plot and supporting effects.
It will be followed immediately by a brief talk by William L. Giles Distinguished Professor, Director of British Studies and founding Shackouls Honors College Dean Christopher Snyder. His literary discussion βFrom Mythology to ΄‘³¦³Ω³ά²Ή±τΎ±³Ω²ββ relates to revenge in βThyestesβ and is part of the 2025-26 Orators Lecture Series exploring the wider theme βA Timeless Human Impulse: The Enduring Cycle of Revenge.β
Clevinger said one of the most rewarding aspects of preparing this production was the chance to work with CAAD Interim Dean Bimal Balakrishnan, who served as visualization advisor, and his outstanding design students who helped make the program visually interesting.
βDr. Balakrishnan and his students have been working with me since July. Their artistic crafting will bring a unique and first-of-its-kind experience to ΊΪΑΟΙη,β she said while also emphasizing the broad interdisciplinary collaboration that has gone into the productionβs preparation.
A Bridge Initiative Grant provided costumes funded by the .
Learn more about ΊΪΑΟΙηβs Shackouls Honors College at .
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