Welcome to Rockford Christian Schools theatrical production of Phaedra!
You likely haven’t heard of this play before, so I’m glad you came out see what it is all about! Phaedra serves as a cautionary tale of what happens when we give in to our sinful nature. It only leads to heartache and pain. Every day, each and every one of us is faced with temptation to give in to sin. Because of our sinful nature, we are surely going to get tripped up by sin and temptation at some point or another. That is why I chose Acts 3:19 as the show verse for this production. It states: "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." So much of the pain caused in this play could have been avoided had the character of Phaedra simply stayed away from sin. Even when we feel there is no going back and that there is no hope for us, it is important to remember that “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.” (Daniel 9:9)
Phaedra also says something about the company that we keep. One of the verses that has stuck with me is 1 Corinthians 15:33: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” Phaedra knows what she is feeling is wrong but is led astray by the counsel of her closest friend Oenone.
Phaedra is the first of its kind to be performed on the RCS stage. This is the first time we are producing a show in the style of a classic Greek tragedy. This show was written by Jean Racine in 1677 and later translated into rhyming English verse by Richard Wilbur and is based upon the Theseus legend found in Greek Mythology. If you find the language a bit tricky to understand, don't fret! We have included a scene synopsis in the back so you can follow along and pick up anything you may have missed! It is a challenging piece that is not typically done at the high school level, but I felt our students had the maturity level to handle the subject matter. I also felt it would give the students an advantage in better understanding classic texts and prepare them for college.
This cast has been terrific to work with and I am so glad to have Annamarie Dishner working along side me as Assistant Director and Moriah Safford as Stage manager. Both ladies have done a great job. I need to send a big “Thank You” to Eric Hawkinson for his expertise in building our set and Camie Walker for her help and wisdom in scenic painting. I learn a new technique every time I work with her. I would also like to thank Matthew Neylon for letting me come back and direct another show at Rockford Christian. I love working with these students and seeing them grow as performers and individuals. I feel so blessed to get to do what I love with the terrific students and staff at RCS. Thank you, Lord!
I hope you will join us again a month from now for the Spring Musical Wonderful Town directed by Matthew Neylon and then for our Night of Light Comedy show in May (be sure to check rcsfinearts.org for more info as the date approaches!).
Sincerely,
Christian Zierke
