MCLA Theatre Program to present “Eurydice”
March 26, 2026
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ (MCLA) Theatre Program is thrilled to announce its upcoming production of “Eurydice,” by acclaimed playwright
Sarah Ruhl, under the direction of MCLA Theatre Professor Laura Standley.
Performances will take place in the College’s Venable Theatre April 16-18 at 7:30
p.m. and April 19 at 2 p.m. Performances are free and open to the public.
Inspired by the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, Ruhl’s imaginative play
retells the story from Eurydice’s point of view. After dying suddenly on her wedding
day, Eurydice finds herself in the strange and dreamlike Underworld, where language
is undone, memories are erased, and she is unexpectedly reunited with her long-dead
father.
What begins as a playful love story becomes a poignant meditation on grief, identity,
and the fragile threads that connect us to the people we love.
“Sarah Ruhl’s play asks us to think about the ways we hold onto the people who shape
us,” said director Laura Standley. “At its heart, ‘Eurydice’ is about the relationship
between a daughter and her father, the complexities of unresolved loss, and the power
of art to connect the living and the dead.”
The MCLA production brings Ruhl’s poetic world to life through an inventive visual
environment that blends movement, music, and imaginative stagecraft. Student performers
and designers collaborate to create a shifting landscape between worlds, where familiar
rules of time, space, and language unravel.
The production features performances by MCLA theater students and is supported by
a team of student designers, stage managers, and technicians working alongside faculty
and guest artists. Guest artist Tom Truss appears as Eurydice’s father. Acclaimed
designer Charles “Chip” Schoonmaker serves as costume designer for the production,
working alongside MCLA alumna Elizabeth Rodio ’21, who returns as costume shop manager.
Pete Wise serves as sound designer and composer, creating original music for the production.
The MCLA Theatre Program produces a range of theatrical works each season, providing
students with hands-on experience in performance, design, and production while engaging
audiences with bold contemporary theater.
For more information, visit us at: mcla.edu/theatreperformances
About MCLA
At MCLA, we're here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught
by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive
on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed
to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered
to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to
public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence.
MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report's list of Top Ten Public Colleges for
11 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts
Schools in the nation for 2026. The College's focus on affordable education and economic
prosperity is reflected in additional 2026 U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for Top Performer
on Social Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 4 for Top Performer
on Social Mobility for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings
measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.