With her trademark irreverent and witty twist on classic works, Zimmerman brings to life the story of Odysseus's ten-year journey This dramatic adaptation of Homer's myth begins with a modern young woman who is struggling to understand Robert Fitzgerald's translation of The Odyssey . A classical muse appears, and the young woman becomes the goddess Athena--a tireless advocate for Odysseus in his struggle to get home. Zimmerman's adaptation depicts his encounters with characters such as Circe, the Cyclops, Poseidon, Calypso, the Sirens, and others in new and exciting ways.   "Mary Zimmerman can tell classic stories onstage, brilliantly. Part of [her] success emanates from her unique amalgam of deep intelligence and respect for the text, on the one hand, couple with her wild, sensual imagination on the other. Once she understands a great work, she plays with it." ― Wall Street Journa l " The Odyssey is a smart, singular example of Mary Zimmerman's unique work in the theater -- vivid in imagery, rich in imagination, witty, and thoughtful in its lively adaptation of a classic work for a contemporary audience." ―Richard Christiansen, critic and author of  A Theater of Our Own: A History and a Memoir of 1,001 Nights in Chicago "Not of one age but of all ages. . . . This Odyssey is grand theater." ― Philadelphia Inquirer “The greatest show in the sky, on the seas, even on earth with side trips to the underworld.” ― New York Times  “ The genius of Ms. Zimmerman… seems to lie in her ability to know what the blind poet Homer, as well as gifted storytellers and directors ever since, must have known: the secrets of engaging their listeners… winning them over to suspend their disbelief, bringing them on board, not just to watch, but to participate in the exciting voyage.” ― Princeton Town Topics MARY ZIMMERMAN 's credits as an adapter and a director include Metamorphoses (2002), The Arabian Nights (2005), and Journey to the West (forthcoming) all available from Northwestern University Press, as well as Eleven Rooms of Proust, and The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci . Her work has been produced at the Lookingglass Theatre and Goodman Theatre of Chicago; on Broadway at Circle in the Square; in New York at Second Stage, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Manhattan Theatre Club; at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles; and at the McCarter, Berkeley Repertory, and Seattle Repertory as well as many other theaters around the country and abroad. The recipient of a Tony Award for directing for Metamorphoses and a MacArthur Fellowship, Zimmerman is a professor of performance studies at Northwestern University. The Odyssey A Play By MARY ZIMMERMAN NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY PRESS Copyright © 2006 Mary Zimmerman All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-8101-2093-8 Contents Production History..........................................................................................ixA Note on the Adaptation....................................................................................xiiiA Note on the Staging.......................................................................................xvThe Odyssey.................................................................................................1ACT I.......................................................................................................3ACT II......................................................................................................83A Note on the Casting.......................................................................................167Appendix: Original Staging of Cyclops, the Underworld, the Death of the Suitors, Boats,and Flying..................................................................................................171Photographs.................................................................................................175 Chapter One ACT I OPENING [ A WOMAN comes out carrying a chair and a copy of Homer's Odyssey. She places the chair center stage, sits, opens the book, and begins reading, uninspired. ] WOMAN: Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending- [ She stops, looks at the cover of the book, then tries again. ] Sing in me, Muse, and through me- [She stops, sighs, and starts again.] Sing in me, Muse- [ The MUSE appears, rubbing her eyes and yawning, having just been awakened. She slowly wanders up to the WOMAN from behind, listening. ] Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending, the wanderer, harried for years on end, after he plundered the stronghold on the proud height of Troy- [ Suddenly the MUSE snatches the book and throws it away. She grabs the WOMAN from behind and begins to whisper in her ear. The WOMAN, gasping and clutching at her own heart, begins to speak in a rush, the words coming out of her in spite of herself. ] Sing in me, Mus