Eastern Michigan University Theatre's new main stage production, "Big Love," adapts an ancient play with a deadly spin.
Based on "The Suppliants," written by the Greek tragedian Aeschylus sometime around 400 B.C., "Big Love" explores themes of feminism, gender roles and independence. Taking place in modern Italy, the play follows 50 brides seeking refuge from their grooms with a family at a coastal Italian villa. Written by playwright Charles L. Mee, its first production took place in 2000.
Jennifer Felts, director of "Big Love" and full-time lecturer at EMU, has worked in EMU Theatre for 18 years. While the play had been mentioned as an option for EMU Theatre to perform for years, it wasn't until recently that the story stuck out.
"Last year, when Roe v. Wade was overturned, and the conflict between people in this country was getting stronger, I thought, 'Let me look at it again,'" Felts said. "I was mind blown at the connections to the world we live in today."
The play questions gender roles, with both the brides and grooms sharing their thoughts to the audience on marriage and equality between men and women.
"We get to introduce a story that asks hard questions and confronts the audience with hard topics, because that's the way that people come together and start talking about them," Felts said. "The more that we can come together and talk about things, the more civil, supportive and loving we can be. Bella, a character in the show, says at the end, 'The greatest human quality we can have is sympathy.'"
Gary Zelley, a senior at EMU, plays Guiliano, an Italian man who finds himself in the crosshairs of the women and the men. Through him, audiences are shown the middle point of the brides' and grooms' different perspectives.
"It takes serious topics and really criticizes the world that we live in, but it does it in a comedic way," Zelley said. "Everything is very absurd. It makes it so that the production is ingestible to audiences, and very approachable."
The show takes an abstract approach to storytelling and does not focus on being hyper-realistic. While the set is more limited, audiences can expect a variety of props and moving pieces throughout.
"I don't want audiences to take away one particular thing," Felts said. "I want them to leave and have a conversation, or two or three. I want them to question the things that were brought up in front of them and hash it out."
Tickets for "Big Love" can be purchased on the EMU website or at the box office. While all ages are welcome, the show is suggested for theatergoers 15+ for violence, language and adult situations. The play will be in the Legacy Theatre Nov. 20-23, 2025, with showings Nov. 20-22 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 22-23 at 2 p.m.
