The one-off series continues with a nod to the ancients

It’s a series that never fails to captivate, returning every two months with the precision of a clock featuring a different theme to work with. This month’s One Night Stand Theater offering was All Greek to Me, a masterful fusion of contemporary narratives and timeless myths. For a single, unforgettable evening, we witness the immense talent of the writers, directors and actors who bring a mythological theme to life on the stage of Vintage Theatre.

Our guide on this theatrical journey is the amiable James O’Leary, the artistic director of One Night Stand Theater. O’Leary takes us by the hand, introducing the evening and each subsequent short play and sharing a brief insight into what we are about to witness. The winning entries, selected from playwrights across the country, were directed by O’Leary, Kathryn Gourley, Matthew Davis, Lorraine Scott and Brad Wagner.

The playwrights included ancient Greek and mythological lore in their 10-minute plays. Sean Wellengard’s opening play, Worst of All Worlds, is a prime example. The young couple seeking parental approval are mythological creatures Alexandros (Adrian Hart), a satyr, and Brittany (Emily Koehler-Mathena), a minotaur. The parents, Harold (Randy Diamon) and Carol (Linda Swanson Brown), are a ferocious couple keeping their children at bay.

No fewer than four dramatic readings and poems filled the evening. They included Ancient Greek Love Poetry, with Sappho (Linda Swanson Brown) and Anacreon (Guy Williams) sharing love poetry amongst themselves. Both Sappho and Anacreon are ancient Greek poets; their poetry is still studied today for its lyrical quality and beauty. Other readings included Pomegranate Eyes by Gina Wencel with the narrator Dave Brandl and Snakes, also by Wencel with the narrator Erin Bell. Snakes tell the story of Medusa’s unsettling snake-filled head of hair and her eventual demise.

Presented in the style of a staged reading, the actors carried scripts with them and used little or no set pieces and few props. The evening’s line-up happily requires one to use one’s imagination.

Every actor brings their A-game to the individual scripts. They are a talented group. In the program, Linda Swanson Brown admits to losing count of her one-night stands, and Randy Diamon is a seven-night One Night Stand(er). There is another impressive list of seven-nighters listed in the program. Clearly, it is a joyful group that enjoys what it is doing.

The direction is tailored to each story and presented modestly. Each director tells a unique tale with a strong sense of place and time. It is an excellent opportunity to witness multiple pieces briefly with different directors and playwrights at the helm.