By Julia Doerr
Eurydice, Nebraska Repertory Theatre, Thursday October 2, 2025
Nebraska Repertory Theatre’s current production of “Eurydice” is for the audience 90 minutes very well spent. Playwright Sarah Ruhl has created a new look at the ancient myth of Orpheus and Eurydice that focuses on the experience of Eurydice. In my previous readings of the myth, Eurydice sometimes is a shadow figure with not much actual character beyond being loved by Orpheus. In this interpretation of the story, the audience sees it through the heroine’s eyes.
Danielle Stolze, in the title role, performs with strength and enthusiasm. It is easy to identify with her struggle to fight against the oblivion that is part of the design of Hades. There she meets her father, and their reunion rekindles a close father-daughter relationship that proves love is hard to kill. Kudos too to Rafael Untalan, a professional actor and UNL assistant professor, who plays the role of the father. His performance is moving and nuanced. A great thing about the Nebraska Rep is the opportunity often given in their performances for students to work alongside their teachers and other professionals. The results, as in this production of “Eurydice,” are often enriching and rewarding for performers and audience alike.
The rest of the small cast is made up of students and each performance is well done. Stephen Chase Thomas is appealing as Orpheus and yet annoying too, as he is always “thinking about music” when Eurydice would understandably like him to focus on her in moments of intimacy. Orpheus gets the focus in the final seconds of the play, an ending in which his surrender to inevitability echoes that of Eurydice and her father.
Three of the actors portray stones. They function as the chorus of the play, in a nod to the tradition of ancient Greek drama. The rest of the time, they are part of the set, blending in to their surroundings as most of us do in life. Luka Moon Benjamin, Paige Fritz, and Lexi Winner fill these roles competently and convincingly. Lastly, Arthur J. Powell, in the dual role of “Nasty Interesting Man” and “Child,” adds a touch of comedy to the mix.
The simple set works well, as does the choice to stage the play in the black box studio theater with audience on 3 sides of the action. This emphasizes the intimacy of the key relationships in the story and the very personal struggles of the characters.
In the lobby, I noticed the sign that said the play would run 87 minutes without intermission. Amazingly, the performance ran pretty much exactly that length of time. I was back out on the sidewalk by 9:00 PM. That was good, as the play had given me a lot to think about.
If you go: Eurydice runs October 2-12, 2025. Evening Performances at 7:30PM and Sunday afternoons at 2PM. Ticket information at https://nebraskarep.org/.
Julia Doerr is a retired high school English teacher with a lifelong love of theatre.
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