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After successful workshop performances in 2003 and 2004, Chasing
Pegasus (a play in ten chords) emerged as a fully-staged
production in 2006.
Chasing Pegasus - A Play in Ten Chords was initially
performed on the Mornington Peninsula as a workshop performance
on Friday, December 19th, 2003 as the end of year showcase for
the graduating students of Acting Up. The performance
sold out and was warmly received.
Due to popular demand, a second performance was staged on
Saturday, January 31st, 2004 for one night only - again to a
sell-out crowd.
After a series of rewrites, Chasing Pegasus is returned to
the stage for not one, but two seasons in it's debut Melbourne
staging, with a return season on the Mornington Peninsula.
The Story Behind The Title:
Chasing Pegasus explores the universal theme of the
desire to follow our dreams. It is a celebration of what makes
us different, and through that discovery, a recognition of what
makes us ultimately the same
The title refers to the Greek myth of Pegasus, the winged
horse, who was reared by the Muses, and symbolizes divine inspiration
and the quest for immortality (as evidenced by the myth of the
Greek King Bellerophon, who attempted, unsuccessfully, to ride
Pegasus to the top of Mount Olympus to become one of the Gods).
The myth aside, in the context of this play, Pegasus is a
symbol of all that is magical, artistic and divine. Chasing
Pegasus focuses not on accepting our place in the world,
but rather on the continuing quest of humankind to become more
than the sum of our parts.
The “Ten Chords” mentioned in the sub-title, refer
to both the ten actors performing the piece and the Greek Theatre
tradition of using a chorus, an ensemble, to tell the story.
While the play does not have the cast speaking in unison, it
is still an ensemble piece, giving each actor equal time to tell
the tale.
"Well-written and even, dare I say, inspirational, Chasing
Pegasus deftly holds up a mirror to the audience, reflecting
back our foibles and frailties without, thankfully, falling into
cliche or over-sentimentality." - Tara Wilkins, TheatreTalk |
