Tickets are $4 for MC students, faculty and staff; $5 for other students and senior citizens; and $6 for adults. They may be reserved by calling 309-457-2374 or by e-mailing theater@monm.edu.

Prior to the opening performance on Nov. 20, a special dinner, open to the public, will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Whiteman-McMillan Highlander Room of the Stockdale Center. At 6 p.m., a talk titled "Girl Power in the Comedies of Aristophanes" will be presented by assistant professor of classics Nick Dobson. The dinner is $7 for the general public, $4 for MC faculty and staff and free for MC students. Reservations can be made by calling 309-457-2374 or by e-mailing billw@monm.edu.

Although "Lysistrata" dates to the year 411 B.C., modern audiences enjoy the sexuality and humor in Aristophanes’ work, as well as the play’s surprising feminist themes and the depiction of strong women.

According to MC professor Bill Wallace, who serves as director, at the time of the play’s initial production, Athens and Sparta had been at war for 20 years, and Aristophanes’ play would have offered one of the few opportunities to laugh at war.

The play’s lead female role, Lysistrata, played by junior Kayt Griffith of Woodstock, has the solution. "She unites the women of Athens in a general sex strike to force the soldiers to come to their senses," Wallace explained. "The idea that Lysistrata could unite women to end the war would have set up the audience for a traditional battle between the sexes."

While Aristophanes uses a woman to bring peace, in so doing he is pointing out to men that they have failed in their efforts to settle the war.

"With the failure of men, women are the only remaining hope for peace," said Wallace.

The director points out that there is no reason to believe that "Lysistrata" was not immensely popular as a comedy when it first played to audiences of the day.

"However, there are serious ideas to be found in Lysistrata’s speeches," Wallace added. "She reminds the audiences of the many men who have died during the Peloponnesian War, and the Chorus of Old Men emphasizes that there are no young men to take up their position. The themes of war and women’s efforts to invoke love as a replacement for war work as well in the 21st century as they did in the late 5th century B.C."

Monmouth College’s production of "Lysistrata" features a cast of 35 with a contemporary verse translation by Drue Robinson Hagan.

"I certainly hope our audience enjoys the production," said Wallace, "but I also want them to consider how our contemporary world still struggles with notions of war and morality. Ideally, we will all laugh, have a good time, and then later imagine what we might do change our world (even a bit) for the better."

Assistant directors for the production include freshman Kate Bradshaw of Wichita, Kan., senior Michael Heaton of Canton and freshman Kristina Heinzman of Brimfield. The set design and construction is by Doug Rankin, director of theater, and the costume design is by theater staff member Pat Andresen.