Chris Gavaler, professor of English at Washington and Lee University, will debut his one-act play “When Mephistopheles Met Helen” at the Live Arts Waterworks New W o r k s Fest ival in Charl ottesville this week.
The play will open with a reading today, Wednesday, May 21, at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Conover Studio at Live Arts. A second performance will be held at the same location on Friday, May 23.
Directed by Kerry Moran and featuring Aafreen Aamir, Claire Chandler and Kate Donithen, the play looks behind the scenes of “Doctor Faustus” and “The Iliad.” In it, Helen of Troy watches as Greeks and Trojans battle outside the city walls. Mephistopheles, disguised as a servant, arrives to convince her to travel to 16th-century Germany, where Faustus has sold his soul in exchange for her.
“I’ve had several oneacts performed at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival, but this is the first time I’ve applied to Live Arts,” Gavaler said. “I think this is the festival’s third year, so it’s great to be involved with a nearby theater branching into new works. I also first studied playwriting as an MFA student at the University of Virginia, so it’s fun to be back in Charlottesville.”
Gavaler, currently on sabbatical, regularly teaches playwriting at W&L during the spring term. He has been with the university since 2010 and has written 20 plays or dance scripts and authored or co-authored nine books. He has received numerous awards, including five wins at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival.
GAVALER
