Grendel: A Playwriting SCE by Sophia Rooks
March 30th through April 1st, 2023
Grendel, played by Zachary Papatheodoru, being embraced by his mother Gammel-el who lost the ability to commuicate, played by Julia Stanley.
The dragon, played by Ariana Bowling, Jayla Dragchui, and Liv Barry (left to right) tells Grendel that the humans will fear him.
Grendel lays dying while his consciousness, played by Skye Hass, comforts him while the creatures of he forest watch.
Grendel a playwriting SCE by Sophia Rooks was performed in Tawes Theatre March 30th through April 1st. Directed by Dr. LaRonika Thomas, the play is an adaption of the John Gardner book of the same name. The play tells the story of Grendel, one of the original villains, first featured in the epic Beowulf. Grendel grapples with his own morality and debates about whether or not he just act the monster the humans see him as. The play grapples with themes of environmentalism with Grendel raging and killing the humans that tear down the natural land to expand their villages and also shows the struggle between fate vs. free will. The epic story, told from the perspective of a different character, sheds light on the inner monsters we all grapple with.
Sophia Rooks takes a celebratory bow with the cast.
Beowulf, played by Sam Steptoe, sweps in at the end of the play to defeat Grendel after he terroized the humans and mead hall.
Coverage by Emma Russell ‘23
Photos courtesy of the Department of Theatre and Dance