Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Children's Theater: "The Myth of Persephone"

Millbrook Library and Millbrook Arts Group are pleased to present Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Children’s Theater in an interactive presentation of "The Myth of Persephone: The Greek Myth of How The Seasons Came to Be," incorporating music, movement, Greek mythology, American Sign Language and interactive theater for children and families.
Leslie Elias (director/actress) and Vanessa Roe co-founded Grumbling Gryphons in 1980 and co-authored the play. They will be joined by actor and singer Daniel Saed for a lively dramatization of this classic Greek myth! Brian Bender will play live music and accompany the show on keyboards and trombone.
Grumbling Gryphons recently added elements of American Sign Language to the production, having received a special grant from The Connecticut Office to increase accessibility for the play. Some Greek words, ASL greetings and simple vocabulary will be taught during the pre-show workshop, which begins at 10 a.m. The marvelous masks and costumes are made by long-time mask maker Ellen Moon and Robert Flannagan, who designed for Broadway and the Muppets. Ellen Moon created beautiful scenery for the show.
"The Myth of Persephone" is a spellbinding dramatization of the ancient Greek myth, which tells the story of how the seasons came to be and exposes children to the classical Greek myth in a highly entertaining and engaging way. Lord Pluto takes Persephone away from the Earth and her mother, Goddess Demeter, and holds her captive in Hades, guarded by Cerberus, the Three-Headed Dog. The children in the audience become the Greek chorus, chanting, singing and helping the gods and goddesses rescue Persephone from the underworld. With their aid, Persephone returns from Hades and everyone learns how the seasons came to be.
This show opened in 1980 in New York City’s Central Park and has toured internationally, delighting audiences ever since. Winner of the 2003 Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award, Grumbling Gryphons has been enchanting and delighting audiences throughout the world for 43 years. Known for their fantastic masks, captivating costumes and joyful interaction with children, their multicultural, mythological and environmental stories teach the hearts, minds and imaginations of children and adults alike.
The Gryphons provide an in-depth, hands-on approach to educational theater. Before every show, the director, actors, and musical director provide pre-performance workshops in drama, music and movement to train young actors to become part of each production. In both school and public venues, everyone becomes a participant in the creative process of theater.