Contact: Sasha Steinberg

STARKVILLE, Miss.β€”As part of its third annual celebration of Greek, Roman and other ancient-world cultures, 91ΒιΆΉΜμΓΐ’s Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College will present Aristophanes’ comedy, β€œClouds.”

Free and open to all, the Tuesday-Wednesday [Sept. 29-30] performances will take place at 6 p.m. in the Zacharias Village courtyard behind Griffis Hall.

First produced in 423 B.C. in the open air theater of Dionysus at Athens, the humorous play is one in which Aristophanes questions the proper content and purpose of education. His main character Strepsiades challenges popular philosopher Socrates with such ethical dilemmas as personal beliefs and reason, the nature of things and culture within, religious and scientific ideals, and the rights of a community and an individual.

In addition to blankets and chairs, patrons are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy during the performances.

β€œWhat is unique about this production is that the cast is made up of all first-semester freshman Honors College students,” said director and professor Donna Clevinger. β€œThey are just discovering the world of performing arts, and it’s been very gratifying to watch their growth.”

β€œI encourage everyone to come see them perform and applaud them for their hard work,” Clevinger added.

Along with members of the Class of 2019, Clevinger expressed gratitude for the support of 91ΒιΆΉΜμΓΐ classics assistant professor Salvador Bartera and religion professor Albert Bisson. Both lent their expertise to the play’s script and also provided feedback to students during rehearsals.

β€œBecause this play is from another period, we had to make sure we transformed the script into a piece that would allow us to get the message out in a way that our contemporary audiences would understand and enjoy, so they could respond accordingly,” Clevinger said.

β€œProfessors Bartera and Bisson have helped me a great deal, and we made a good team. Our production is certainly a collaborative piece,” she emphasized.

For more information about Classical Week 2015 and the β€œClouds” performances, contact Clevinger at 662-325-2522 or dclevinger@honors.msstate.edu.

Additional details about 91ΒιΆΉΜμΓΐ’s Shackouls Honors College may be found at , and .

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