Word: dionysius
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...Middle Ages theologians had constructed an intricate model of heaven, based on the writings of the fifth-century theologian Dionysius. They divided the heavenly host into nine choirs, each with its own task. Contrary to the mocking of modern skeptics, medieval theologians did not spend time debating how many angels could dance on the head of a pin. They had far more serious enterprises in mind. In their layered architecture of heaven, the highest angels were the seraphim and cherubim, those closest to God in nature, who exist to worship him. The thrones bring justice; dominions regulate life in heaven...
Dionyshus (pupetecred> by Raphed Sperry), god of aged grape juice and its accompanying revelry, open the play with a lament for hometown Athena. The ongoing war with Sparta and the deaths of two, great tragedians, Aeschylus (Howard Miller) and Euripedes (Tanya Bezrah), have left the city in turmoil, Dionysius journeys to the underworld to fetch one of the late, great playwrights to save the war-torn polis...
...most dramatic moment of the evening took place during Dionysius' ride on Charon's ferry across the river Styx. A large boat, draped in a gloomy blue, spookily emerged and circulated through the audience, Dionysius rowing and Charon (also puppeteered by Sperry) booming irascibly...
...decide whether to bring Aeschylus of Euripedes to Athens, Dionysius stages a competition to "weight" the merits of their poetry. Many had puns ensue. The clever Euripedes is too "light;" the more philosophical Aeschylus literally tips the scales with the heavy line: "Chariot on chariot, corpse on corpse was piled." Literary theorists theorists today could stand to learn a great deal from this Dionysian, beer-in-webbed-hand approach to criticism...
...McMartin) and William Brown (John Glover), are physically two but psychically one. The play is a duel of opposing forces within the same being. Anthony stands for Art untrammeled by mundane affairs; Brown for the etiolated Babbittry of Commerce. But Dion is himself divided, his first name standing for Dionysius, the creative-erotic life force, and his last name Anthony for "a saint in the desert, exorcising a demon." In plot terms, Anthony goes to work for Brown and loses his creative urge and his life. But to secure Anthony's widow (Catherine Helmond) Brown must don Anthony...