Running through September 28, 2013 at The Getty Villa is the world premiere of Joel Agee's new translation of Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus. Directed by Travis Preston, the production is produced by CalArts Theatre for New Performance in association with Trans Arts.
Prometheus, punished by Zeus to remain chained to a mountaintop for stealing fire from Mount Olympus, is in this case chained to a massive five-ton wheel that measures 23.5' in diameter, and sits on a base with a footprint of 20'x14'. "The wheel was built at LA Propoint's scenic shop in sections, brought into our modular theatre on the CalArts campus which can handle a 35' height and assembled there, as the Propoint shop doesn't have the height," explains production manager, Gary Kechely. The wheel was then moved to The Getty Villa in sections in July and assembled on site.
Efren Delgadilio, the wheel's designer notes: "Travis Preston, the director, asked for the biggest wheel possible, thinking of a wheel, Gothic clocks, images of Atlas, and Leonardo da Vinci drawings.. he thought 30’ was good, but 23’ is perfect…we wanted to make sure it didn’t look like a hamster wheel."
The production is lit by Anne Militello using primarily ETC Souce Fours on lighting towers and side truss positions, to illuminate the wheel and the stage in the Getty's outdoor amphitheatre, which was designed on prototypes on ancient theatres. A perfect setting for this modern-day Prometheus.
(More on this production in the October issue of Live Design)
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