Athena is a production that is playing now at Theatre Horizon. It’s a coming of age story of two 17 year old training for Nationals. Athena and Mary Wallace both are on two different sides of life. Athena is the daughter of a widely published journalist. While Mary Wallace is the daughter of teacher parents. Each other’s interactions pulls and tugs on how they are and who they are becoming.
Safety Precautions
You are required to be vaccinated. Masks that cover your nose and mouth must be worn at all times. Please allot time to get to the theatre to show your vaccination and identification. There is street parking that you can use.
Coming of Age- Athena
I am glad that I took my thirteen daughter. She was able to see these young women’s interactions. From seeing what appears to be bouts of mean girl mentality as these two young women seek to learn one another. Both of them having quit a story to tell. Athena which is a competitor name already is intriguing by her lack of wanting to use her real name. I attributed that to her not wanting to advance on the status of her dad. She is closed off a bit having to deal with separation anxiety. Also Athena’s Mom left the family while she was pretty young. A young girl without the aid of her Mother, has a lot to work out internally. I kept reminding my Daughter how blessed she is to have both parents active and loving into her life.
Mary Wallace “Loving Home”
It’s crazy to see how Athena is off-putting to Mary Wallace having parents who seem to care. Her home life is the polar opposite. Her dad works hard to provide but you see that he’s not as intuned. Athena seeks that and resents that from Mary Wallace. You see Mary Wallace doing what a lot of girls do, seek love and affirmation. She has yet to have a boyfriend and in hearing Athena talk about multiple sex partners makes her uncomfortable. There are so many conversations that will be a tug of war on who they are becoming.
Fencing Lessons
The premise as we see their lives unfold has a lot to do with them working together in training. While they fence each other the jousting is so iconic of their back and forth dialogue. The two become closer but Athena lets Mary Wallace down as they go out one night to dance and drink. Athena was scared to tell her brother who she was and as a result she gets Mary Wallace to the hospital and left her. Mary Wallace brings up the fact that she failed her in friendship. Interesting enough prior to that, Athena reveals her issues with making friends. This production opened up conversations for my ride home with my teenager.
Production of Athena
I loved how we are taken scene by scene with the use of technical backdrops. We cut from house to house to see the dynamic of their home life. We get to see this unfold and as they come together we see how even in real life, our personal life affects how we show up in the world. As teenagers become young women, they are being shaped by the things that they take in, see, and experience. I must say production team did an amazing job and are just important as the amazing actors.
Full Circle in Athena
I won’t tell you how the production ended. There is only one spot for the advancement in fencing. Only one of them will continue on. The full circle moment comes from the winner becoming everything she said she didn’t like. That’s how life works. The very thing we think is off or that we don’t like, we become especially if we aren’t careful.
The production of Athena is here until Sunday June 5th. You can get your tickets. I highly recommend taking a young person with you. Thank you to the staff of Theatre Horizon as well as Bryan Buttler Media for the invitation. As always you can always donate too.
