‘Metamorphoses’ spirits dreamlike pool onto Crystal Lake stage

I truly did not know what to expect in “Metamorphoses.” Director Jay Geller, McHenry County College’s Black Box Theatre’s artistic director, is well known for his creativity and risk taking, but a large pool of water onstage? With an ensemble of constantly wet actors who float, walk, row, splash and fall in? All the hallmarks of a truly unique theatrical production!

Never fear – there’s a juxtaposition of ancient and contemporary language and images reflecting the narrative, so you’re never lost.

Ovid’s classic poem “Metamorphoses” has entranced audiences for more than 2,000 years, tracing the history of the world from creation by combining real historical events with Greek and Roman mythology. Mary Zimmerman’s play of the same name, on which her show “Metamorphoses” is based, premiered in 1996 at Northwestern University and later moved to Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre Company.

It opened off Broadway in 2001, and transferred to Circle In The Square Theatre in 2002, where it won a Tony Award and other accolades. Zimmerman is well known for her oral stories and classical texts; she currently is an artistic associate at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.

Coming upon his 25th year of chairing the theater department at MCC, Geller provided the scenic and sound design for “Metamorphoses,” and said he selected the work for the fall production because he believed “it was a play that would be a wonderful theatrical experience to stage in The Black Box.” He also thought its “themes of grief and transformation would be a powerful message.”

Geller has a supportive and talented staff bringing Zimmerman’s play to visual life: assistant directors Chelsea Boesiger and Spencer White, technical director Chris Adkins, light designer Deb Homan (“painter of light”), light technician Mike Madden (“pointer of light”) and scenic painter Holly Adkins. Maggie McCord has done another impressive job of movement – at times mesmerizing, other times strongly interpretative. Carol Foreman’s costumes are simple, utilitarian and clever in their expressive range from ancient classic to modern.

But how stage manager Mailin Contreras kept the production focused and running smoothly is a credit to her skills and Geller’s direction. (And I’m still marveling at that real pool onstage!)

“Metamorphoses” is staged as a series of vignettes with themes of love, loss, transformation and the powers of memory and imagination. The vignettes vary in length, but all flow into each other; what’s difficult is that all the actors play “others” besides their assigned, named characters, so it’s hard to give credits for the other roles the ensemble members portray.

The vignettes begin with Chaos/creation, and segue into Midas (Jake Seelye), King Alcyone (Avery Harvey), Erysichthon (Stephen Pickering), Orpheus and Eurydice (Jarrett Passaglia, Alex Reilly), Vertumnus (Derrick Wilson), Myrrha (Trinity Anderson), Phaeton (Nathan Bodecker), Nursemaid (Molly Stockwell) and Aphrodite (Chloe Patch).

The opening scene gives the audience a taste of the style and setting to come.

One of the more humorous vignettes is that of Derrick Wilson’s Vertumnus, who is in love with Pomona, the goddess of springtime and abundance. He disguised himself as a soldier, fisherman and field hand, only to be constantly rejected. It isn’t until he disguises himself as an old woman in a bad wig and shawl that he’s able to reach her.

Stephen Pickering has a vignette of a nasty, mocking man named Erysichthon, who cuts down one of Ceres’ sacred trees, and as punishment insatiably can’t get enough to eat (“it isn’t enough!”) and sells his mother (who fortunately is rescued by a god). The actor portraying hunger is particularly physical, as is Pickering.

There are many poignant myths and, as expected, you’ll hear about Hades and the River Styx. Zeus, Hermes, Aphrodite, Eros and Psyche show up. Particularly touching are Morpheus and Iris, in a myth of the wife awaiting her seafaring husband, both becoming seabirds because they are “wrecked here on land and drowning here in the sea.” Just Iris lying by the ocean conveys more than words can say.

This is an energetic, dedicated and dynamic ensemble; the production is an entertaining, no-intermission, 90-minute collection of myths and stories we may or may not have been introduced to.

“Metamorphoses” is unlike anything currently running onstage in our area. This collection of myths is well worth your while.

(Play contains adult themes.)

• Regina Belt-Daniels knows a little about Greek and Roman mythology, thanks to the teaching of Mr. Senechal of Bishop Grimes High School. A 40-year veteran of area theater, ranging from the Elgin Theatre Company to the Raue Center For The Arts, she last directed “Love Letters” for Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles.

IF YOU GO

• WHAT: “Metamorphoses”

• WHERE: The Black Box Theatre, building E at McHenry County College, parking lot C, 8900 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake

• WHEN: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 17

• COST: $15 for general public; $10 for students, MCC employees, seniors, alumni, veterans

• INFORMATION: Reservations at 815-455-8746, jgeller@mchenry.edu