From Father to Son: An Odyssey

From Father to Son: An Odyssey
From Father to Son: An Odyssey is an original play written by Kelby Siddons. It was first performed at the high school which she graduated from, the Episcopal School of Jacksonville. She wrote and directed the play. Currently, she is hoping to get the play published. The play is an adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey.
Summary
Act 1
:The play begins with a monologue by Athena, who talks to her father Zeus, represented by lightning and thunder. She calls upon Hermes, and they decide to help Telemachus, the protagonist of this play, and Odysseus. Suitors (featuring Eurymachus, Antinous, and Helenus) have a scene where it is apparent that they dislike Telemachus and want to marry Penelope, his mother. Telemachus receives instruction from Athena that he is to go to the ocean and speak something true about his father to receive information. He goes to the ocean after a talk with Eurycleia, his maid, and Hermes helps him speak one thing about his father: His name is Odysseus. The ocean washes up a spear, and Telemachus is transported into Odysseus' boar hunt where Odysseus earned his name, which means "Man of Pain." Telemachus, as Odysseus, sees Autolycus, his grandfather. (Note: When Telemachus does something that Odysseus wouldn't do, the story freezes)
:When Telemachus lets go of the spear from the ocean, he returns from the vision to the ocean. He speaks another true thought about his father, and he receives a sword from the ocean. In this next vision, Telemachus meets the crew: Eurylochus, Macar, Polites, Elpenor, and Achaemenides. The crew robs the Cicones (made up of a lot of ensemble members), who then fight back. Telemachus learns from Athena that it is brave to retreat, and he and the crew retreat. Telemachus ends up back at the beach again. He speaks another true thought about his father and finds himself with a piece of driftwood from the ocean. The vision this time is in the cave of Polyphemus the cyclops, and his crew is in the cave. Telemachus learns that the cyclops is asleep because he was given a lot of wine, and as Odysseus, Telemachus tells the crew to blind the cyclops with the driftwood. Then, the crew escapes under the cyclops' sheep. Telemachus brags about escaping from the cave after dropping the driftwood. However, the vision did not end, and the crew was still there. The cyclops prays to the gods that Odysseus and his men will not make it home. The crew is very upset. Telemachus learns that there is a splinter from the driftwood in his hand, and when he removes it, he is at the ocean once again.
:After speaking another true thought about his father, Telemachus receives rope from the ocean. Soon, he is in a vision where crew's ears are filled with beeswax, and he is tied around the mast of his ship. He listens to the Sirens' song, hoping to hear what his father desires, but the Sirens do not say what his father desires. When he is untied from the mast and loses contact with the rope, the vision goes away. Once again on the beach, Telemachus speaks a true thought about his father and finds a flower. This flower transports him into a scene where is crew is forgetting everything because they are eating lotuses. Telemachus takes the flowers away from his crew and persuades them that they need to go home. Back on the beach, Telemachus is convinced that his father would stop at nothing to get home, but a clue from the ocean finally comes when Telemachus speaks the true thought that his father did stop his journey home. He is transported to Circe's home, where he meets Hermes once again. Hermes gives Telemachus the moly plant, so Circe does not turn him into a pig. Circe is in love with Odysseus, and she turns his crew back into humans because she wants to gain his trust. Circe and the crew persuade Telemachus/Odysseus to stay for a year. After all, the crew needs food and rest. Circe and her hand maidens dance with Odysseus/Telemachus and his crew, ending the dance with a kiss between Circe and Telemachus/Odysseus. Telemachus is upset that his father kissed someone other than his wife Penelope, so he throws down the goblet he was holding to be a part of the vision, and the scene fades away.
Act 2
:Telemachus is drunk at his house, and the suitors are still being trouble for Penelope. Athena is upset with Telemachus for almost ruining her plan to have Odysseus come back and get rid of the suitors, and after Telemachus says that he doesn't fear death, she gets Hermes to bring him to the underworld. In the underworld, Odysseus meets Tiresias, who helped his father escape from the underworld. After Tiresias leaves, the shades (zombie-like people of the underworld) do a dance which almost sucks Telemachus in, but he manages to escape. After the underworld experience, Telemachus goes to the beach once again. He speaks the true thought that his father feared death, and he meets Calypso. She is in love with Odysseus/Telemachus, and she offers him immortality to stay with her, but he turns her down in order to be with Penelope. She takes the object keeping Telemachus in the vision from him, and he is back at the beach again.
:Penelope (Telemachus' mother) finds him at the beach, where she has a heart-to-heart with him. Then, Athena comes, and she tells Telemachus that he can meet his father.
Special Effects Used in the World Premiere of the Play
*sound cues (music) were used when Hermes entered
*sound cues (thunder) were used to portray Zeus
*sound cues (glass breaking) were used to portray the stopping and going of time
*lighting cues (flickering - lightning) were used to portray Zeus
*there was special lighting for frozen time
*there was special lighting at the beach
*smoke was used at the beginning of the play, during the Cicones scene, during the Sirens scene, and more.
Characters
Main Characters
*Telemachus - the son of Odysseus and Penelope; he is the protagonist of the play
*Athena - a powerful goddess who helps Telemachus
*Hermes - another god who helps Telemachus
*Penelope - Telemachus' mother
*Eurycleia - an old servant for Telemachus and Penelope
*Circe - a minor goddess who loves Telemachus/Odysseus; Odysseus and his crew stay with her for a year
*Calypso - another minor goddess who loves Telemachus/Odysseus; Odysseus stays with her for eight years; she offers him immortality
Odysseus' Crew
*Polites - a crew member who often acts like he's in charge
*Macar - a crew member who's a bit more paranoid than the others
*Eurylochus - a more intelligent crew member
*Elpenor - a daydreaming crew member who isn't too tough
*Achaemenides - the fifth crew member
Suitors
*Helenus - a suitor who is a realist
*Eurymachus - the smartest of the suitors; he acts like the boss of of the other suitors
*Antinous - the dumb suitor who often just repeats what Helenus and Eurymachus say
Secondary Characters
*Tiresias - Telemachus meets him in the underworld like Odysseus did; he can talk to the living, unlike other shades
*Autolycus - Telemachus' grandfather
*Polyphemus - the cyclops that did not want Odysseus to make it home; he appears in shadow form
*Melantho - a sexy servant for Telemachus and Penelope
Minor Characters
*Boar - killed by Telemachus/Odysseus toward the beginning of the play
*Autolycus' sons - they drag the boar offstage
*Lotus eaters - they encourage Odysseus' crew to eat lotus flowers and forget all their worries
*Circe's handmaidens - they dance with Odysseus' crew
*Cicones - people who fight Odysseus' crew
*sheep - Polyphemus' pets
*Sirens - enchanting creatures who sing
*Shades - people of the underworld who dance
*Suitors - there are some named suitors, but there are also unnamed suitors who like to party (but don't have any/many speaking roles)
*Odysseus - he appears briefly at the end in shadow form; he does not speak

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