Ariadne's Thread, The Adventures of Theseus and the Minotaur
by Judith White
Theseus is a young man on an adventure. As he makes his way to Athens to meet his father he must fight bandits, carnivorous pigs, and travel the underworld.
About 30 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
18
4 M | 5 W | 9 Any Gender, Plus Chorus
Simple set
30 pages
“The thread’s on the spool,
The spool’s wound tight,
You must feel it in the dark, cause there is no light…”
Theseus is a young man on an adventure. As he makes his way to Athens to meet his father he must fight bandits, carnivorous pigs, and travel the underworld.
He offers himself as tribute to rid the land of the murderous minotaur. But the story isn’t as simple as it seems. King Minos’ daughter Ariadne is willing to help, but only if Theseus promises not to kill the minotaur. How will Theseus get out of the labyrinth alive?
A fantastic modern version of the Theseus and the Minotaur myth complete with an active chorus. Bring Greek mythology to life!
Characters
18
4 Men, 5 Women, 9 Any Gender, Plus Chorus
Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.
-
Chorus
[A]
34 lines
- Twelve or more.
-
Nike
[A]
19 lines
- Chorus Leader.
-
Adidas
[A]
19 lines
- Chorus Leader.
-
Theseus
[M]
85 lines
- Son of Poseidon and Aethra.
-
Aethra
[W]
18 lines
- His mother.
-
Asterion
[M]
13 lines
- The minotaur.
-
Perephetes
[A]
8 lines
- Guardian of the Underworld.
-
Sinnis
[A]
1 line
- The Bandit.
-
The Crommyon Sow
[A]
3 lines
- Three members of the chorus.
-
Old Man Sciron
[M]
3 lines
-
Procrustes
[M]
13 lines
- The Stretcher.
-
Beauty Rest
[W]
2 lines
- A servant to Procrustes.
-
Aegeus
[M]
0 lines
- King of Athens.
-
Ariadne:
[W]
32 lines lines
- King Minos’s daughter, Princess of Crete.
-
Phedre
[W]
1 line lines
- Princess of Crete, Ariadne’s little sister.
-
King Minos
[M]
4 lines lines
- King of Crete.
-
Amphitrite
[W]
7 lines lines
- Queen of the Sea, wife to Poseidon.
-
Sea Nymphs
[W]
1 line lines
- Anemone, Abalone, Starfish: Companions to Amphitrite.
- Subgenres
- Fantasy Adventure Fables/Folktales Adaptation Choral work Fairy tales
- Settings
- Greek
- Dress
- Period costumes
- Audience
- All audiences Children Pre-teen Teen
- Features
- Mime Variable Cast Size Poetry Tableau Choral work Movement-based Music Physical comedy Stage combat Variable gender breakdown
- Set
- Simple set
- Themes
- Morality Obedience Personal responsibility
- Cross-Curricular Uses
- Greek Music
- Other uses
- Class work
Prop List
Cudgel: Periphetes, Sword and Sandals, Sword, Motel sign: Preset., Tape Measure: Procrustes, In Ariadne’s pockets: LED candle, honey, ball of thread., Bolt of Lightning: Chorus member carries this on in Minos scene., Glitter or water for transformation (sea creatures).
Production Photos
Multimedia
Though Your Soul Was Held in Darkness (p. 28)
| Sheet Music |
Video
Though My Soul May Set in Darkness (Sung at the end of the play)
Related Titles
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Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.
Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.
Ariadne's Thread, The Adventures of Theseus and the Minotaur
by Judith White
About 30 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
18
4 M | 5 W | 9 Any Gender, Plus Chorus
Simple set
30 pages