“There’s more to her than anyone could ever infer – You can kick my words to the curb. I think it’s time that we heard from her.”
An ice-cold, high-octane adaptation of Euripides’ play written in battle rap verse, this brand-new electrifying hip-hop version of the ancient classic Medea by Luis Quintero, co-conceived and directed by Nathan Winkelstein, sheds contemporary light on the classic tragedy of family, power, and revenge – as terrifying and shocking today as it was two thousand years ago. Quintero’s version of the story reignites the sacred rage of our ancestors and illuminates in the most human terms the extraordinary lengths that some people will travel to even the scales of justice.
Sarin Monae West and Mark Martin
Now playing outdoors at Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival through August 30, Medea: Re-Versed, will be presented indoors Off-Broadway beginning September 12 by Red Bull Theater — celebrating its 20th Anniversary — and Bedlam. The rolling World Premiere features scenic design by Emmie Finckel, costume design by Nicole Wee, lighting design by Cha See, and sound design by Matt Otto. Mark Martin will serve as music director.
THE CAST:
Medea Saren Monae West
Jason Stephen Michael Spencer
Chorus Leader Luis Quintero
Creon Jacob Ming-Trent
Beatboxer Mark Martin
Bass Melissa Mahoney
Guitar Siena D’Addario
Medea: Re-Versed
Red Bull Theater and Bedlam
a co-production with Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (ends on August 30, 2024)
previews begin Off-Broadway September 12, 2024;
opening night September 23, 2024; ends on October 13, 2024
Sheen Center Frank Shiner Theatre, 8 Bleecker Street
for tickets, visit Red Bull Theater
“Music and Myth making is one the oldest of human traditions,” Luis Quintero said. “In excavating the past, I discover what resonates with the present. When I set out to modernize Medea I asked myself ‘Who am I writing this for?’ First, I needed to honor the memory of the original Medea. Meaning the very woman who fought for her own justice when no one else would. Her suffering was not a play, it was lived and I was compelled to write with that reverence in mind. Second, I am writing to expand the traditional theater audience. Musically, I wanted to compose a piece that broke out of the mold of musical theater. A three-piece band with simple music that anyone could play and, most importantly, that non-theater goers would headbang to in their cars the same way they would to Joyner Lucas, Rage Against the Machine, or Evanescence. Thirdly, it needed to accentuate the live theatrical experience. In a world of streaming, the communal exchange of vibration and energy in the present moment is what sets theater apart. So by looking back to Shakespeare I set out to create a new form of theater that encourages audience participation and channels it into the storytelling itself. Using these three pillars as my compass, I began writing Medea.”
photos of HVSF’s 2024 production of Medea: Re-Versed by Gabe Palacio
Stephen Michael Spencer, Sarin Monae West, and Mark Martin
Luis Quintero and Mark Martin
Stephen Michael Spencer, Mark Martin, Jacob Ming Trent, Melissa Mahoney, Sarin Monae West
Siena D'Addario, Stephen Michael Spencer, Mark Martin, and Luis Quintero
Siena D'Addario, Mark Martin, Stephen Michael Spencer and Jacob Ming Trent
Stephen Michael Spencer, Mark Martin, and Jacob Ming Trent
Siena D'Addario, Stephen Michael Spencer, Jacob Ming Trent,
Mark Martin, Sarin Monae West, and Luis Quintero
Siena D'Addario, Stephen Michael Spencer, Sarin Monae West, Jacob Ming Trent, Melissa Mahoney