"Antigone bade her sister say no more. 'Your choice was to live,' she said, 'mine to die.'" —Antigone, quoted by Edith Hamilton
The LAVA Center and playwright/director Jan Maher are thrilled to announce a special collaboration to present Maher’s play Ismene in mid-September. The play features Freya Andromeda in the title role and Liza Manchester as Martha. Kiersten Samalis is stage manager/assistant director.
Fans of the classic Greek tragedies may (or may not) remember Ismene as the sister of Antigone and daughter of Oedipus. Over the course of several plays penned by Greek tragedians, her parents and all three siblings die. But there is no record of Ismene’s death. In Maher’s play she has been wandering the earth looking for resolution. When she meets Martha, a shy, journal-keeping woman, she is finally able to tell her own story in her own terms.
Ismene debuted in Seattle where A. J. Mell in the Seattle Weekly characterized it as “Probing, sensitive, and accessible… rife with lyricism and unexpected humor.” Ken Freehill of Actors Equity Association called it “a brilliant script,” saying he was “thrilled to have been part of the audience.”
This production of Ismene is part of LAVA’s year-end fundraising campaign. Patrons are invited to make a donation above their sliding scale ticket price ($1–$30) to support LAVA’s mission to keep the vast majority of programming free or donation-based.
Made possible with funding from the Greenfield Local Cultural Council.
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Click here for tickets—>
https://www.tixtree.com/e/ismene-written-directed-by-jan-maher-full-production-47dd0b62edd0
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Freya Andromeda (Ismene) grew up devouring various Greek stories of myths, monsters & mortals. After a brief hiatus last year, she's returning to the stage with renewed enthusiasm! They are incredibly thankful for this opportunity to share Ismene's story with all of you. Past favorite credits include Eco in 'A Spare Me' (Exit 7 Players) and Assistant Stage Manager for 'Almost, Maine' (Exit 7 Players). She would like to extend a heartfelt thanks & lots of love to both of her partners, her family (blood & chosen) and anyone who has ever felt invisible.
Liza Manchester (Martha) started acting as a young child. Since her college days, Liza has taken a little break from the stage. During that time she worked in educational non-profits and higher education and took an interest in cycling all over the Valley and Hilltowns. On a whim, Liza auditioned for LAVA's 2025 On the Boards production. "What a joy to perform in front of an audience again," says Liza. "The LAVA Center is an incredible community resource. The staff are immensely talented, creative, and thoughtful about their approach to the performing and visual arts. Ismene is a powerful story and I'm honored to be part of bringing this script to life."
Kiersten Samalis (Stage Manager) is happy to be a part of the Ismene team! Kiersten has been stage managing in community theaters for the last 7 years. Shows include Book of Days (GCC), Angels in America Parts 1 and 2 (GCC), and The 25th Annual…Spelling Bee (Apple Tree Arts). “Im grateful for another fun LAVA Center opportunity! I’m excited to be working alongside Jan on this play she wrote. This is a great piece and I can’t wait for audiences to see it!” Kiersten thanks Jan, Freya, and Liza for all of the fun rehearsals and their support.
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Click here for tickets—>
https://www.tixtree.com/e/ismene-written-directed-by-jan-maher-full-production-47dd0b62edd0
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