Drama. 45-60 minutes. 7 females, 2 males and a flexible any-gendered ensemble (9-30+ performers possible). Suitable for high school and older.
Persephone Underground was originally written for and premiered by the Young People's Theatre of Ann Arbor, Michigan; a substantially revised version was later produced by the Institute for World Theatre and Film in Beijing, China in collaboration with the English Drama Society at Peking University.
The author grants productions pre-approval to make cuts to meet time limits and community standards regarding profanity and obscenity for Texas UIL and other one-act competitions.
What would you do if your daughter ran away with the boyfriend from hell? Literally. If you are Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, you have the power to hold the whole earth hostage. One afternoon, Demeter's daughter Persephone is gathering flowers in a field with her mortal friends when she hears an otherworldly melody emanating from a cave. That evening, returning alone to seek the source of the music, she meets a mysterious young demigod who proves to be the nameless son of Hades, the lord of the dead. Drawn to his tales of a world of endless adventures, she follows him. Meanwhile, Demeter hears rumors that her beloved daughter has been abducted by Hades. She comes in search of her and demands that she return home, now or never. But when Persephone refuses, Demeter likewise refuses to keep the seasons turning, threatening to destroy the mortal world with drought and famine...
"Carol Lashof's adaptation of the Persephone myth is a lovely rendition of this story. This version nicely combines small-cast scenes and large-ensemble events that make it a great project for young people, both to play and to see." - Jack Young, Head, Graduate Acting and Directing, University of Houston