What is free will? What does it really mean to be free? Euripides raises these questions in his tragedy, "The Bacchae," written

The Bacchae, played by Jet Logan, Anna Cherubino, Adelina Mkami, Melissa Cowitt, Sarah Coletti, Brianna Larsen surround Dionysus, played by Alan Fernald.

more than 2,400 years ago. Surely, the questions remain vivid today, when they will be pondered in a performance at College of the Atlantic directed by student Daniel Mahler Friday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. in Gates Center.

Mahler, who has been working in theater since he was 8 years old, has developed a strong connection to classical drama. "Although it is an ancient story, the major themes of The Bacchae are still very present in today's society," he says. "How do we find balance between order and chaos?" Who really is free? 

Stefania Marchese as one of the Bacchae.

The play focuses on the god Bacchus, also known as Dionysus, who is the son of Zeus and the Theban princess Semele. Only Zeus' wife, Hera, is deeply jealous of Semele, and forces Zeus to appear to her in his immortal form, killing her rival. As Semele dies from the lightning bolt, the god Hermes sweeps down to protect the infant, who is sewn into Zeus' thigh. Once born, Dionysus is given to others to raise. He learns the culture of the vine and sets out wandering as the leader of Bacchic rituals. Eventually, Dionysus returns to Thebes with his rituals. He has something of a grudge against Thebes, because his mother's family believes she had lied about her connection to Zeus, that it was Semele's blasphemy, not Hera's jealousy, that killed her, To avenge his mother, Dionysus inspires all the Theban women with a Bacchic frenzy. They head to the mountains, performing their wild rites. Pentheus, king of Thebes, attempts to halt the rituals and tries to arrest the god, to his mortal peril.

"I want the focus of this performance to be set in the raw emotions, and themes and symbols of the play," says Mahler, who has been working with Bar Harbor actor and director Paul Kozak to shape the symbols and motifs of his interpretation.

The costumes (gratefully borrowed from Mount Desert Island High School) and setting are being kept simple, with dances added to the Greek chorus, here performed by the Bacchae, Dionysus' followers.

In addition to the Friday, March 23 7:30 performance, there may be an additional performance outdoors above the north lawn, at the COA shrine. This is scheduled for Saturday, May 24 at 2 p.m., with a rain date of Sunday, May 25 at 2 p.m. Admission is free. Call for details 288-5015.