Courtney Elrod teaches performing arts and digital communications at Liberty Middle School (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Young actors at Liberty Middle School recently presented a play that cleverly combined contrasting elements and personalities in Greek mythology.

Students in Courtney Elrod’s performing arts classes performed “The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza (One-Act)” by Don Zolidis. “The play consists of two narrators who are explaining and arguing over several popular Greek myths,” Elrod said.

This unconventional version of a Greek play can include audience participation. The stage play uses a light-hearted, sometimes comical approach to introduce younger students to the rigid structure of some the classical tales in Greek mythology.

Components of the play included the chaos-filled Pandora’s Box, Cronos and the Titans, Jason and the Argonauts and Homer’s “The Iliad.” “The script is full of funny jokes and references,” Elrod said.

Many students already had studied Greek mythology in history class at Liberty. “I loved hearing them tell me about their prior knowledge of the characters that they were playing,” Elrod said.

The play was double-cast to accommodate students in the third and fourth blocks.

Portraying Narrator 1 were Shaye Bumbarger and Mhairi Kerr. Rush Waggoner was Narrator 2.

Drew Blackwell and Josh Kennedy performed as Cronos. Harmony Watson and Claire Amey portrayed Rhea. Jacob Billups’ and Sarah Myers’ role was Uranus.

Other cast members were Matthew Cole (Therapist); David Batista and Hamam Zookari (Zeus); Battle Clayton and Zach Hopkins (Man); Hailey Haas and Jada Latham (Woman); Kaelyn Sommer and Katie Daughtry (Pandora); Salvador Perez and Avery Moore (Police Officer); Shiv Joshi (Hercules); and Ben Sandstrom and Zach Hopkins (Jason).

The cast also included Allie McMillen and Laura Shadoan (Atalanta); Zach Taylor and Joshua Kennedy (Orpheus); Jillian Minor and Lesha Gistarb (Castor); Reagan Thorum and Chelsea Langford (Pollux); Mallory Lott (Medea); Dakota Singiser and Avery Moore (Hades); and Battle Clayton (Apollo).

Elrod also teaches digital communications at Liberty.