Director’s Note

“So here is why I write what I do: We all have futures. We all have pasts. We all have stories. And we all, every single one of us, no matter who we are and no matter what’s been taken from us or what poison we’ve internalized or how hard we’ve had to work to expel it—we all get to dream.”

— N.K. Jemisin

PENELOPE began in the summer of 2020 as an album, conceived and composed by Alex Bechtel. Forced to quarantine in separate cities from his romantic partner, he found himself writing pieces from the point of view of the waiting wife who lives in the margins of Homer’s ODYSSEY Alex would send me demos and I had the great pleasure of offering thoughts and feedback, serving as a sort of informal dramaturg on the music.

That fall, the two of us developed a regular practice of what we called “Thursday office hours,” drinking wine and eating pizza on my front porch (and crying sometimes too), while we imagined a future when we might be able to turn his album into a show. Three years later, it is such an honor to be experiencing that dream, premiering our live production under the beautiful Hudson Valley tent.

For me, PENELOPE holds the grief of the pandemic — being stuck at home, mourning global cataclysm, wondering who and what would survive. But the show also holds a healing salve.

During lockdown, when theater disappeared and previously unshakable parts of my life and identity slipped away, I didn’t miss elaborate sets or showy stage tricks. I didn’t miss the spectacles; I missed the people. I missed the music and the stories and the feeling of togetherness. I missed the impossible act of collective imagination, when the sound of a melody or a simple human gesture would suddenly transport me to another time and space.

So, we’ve put all the people front and center. The first page of the show’s script reads, “No matter how theatrical the container of the piece becomes, it should always retain the feeling of a group of musicians playing an evening of songs for an audience. No matter what: The musicians exist in the space with Penelope, as does the audience. If this is a dream, it’s one we are all having together.” Penelope is simultaneously the lead singer in a band and the main character in a play. She’s in her house and also on a stage. While she invites you to cast your mind back to an old and familiar classic, she does so on her terms, and insists that you see things from where she’s standing (which, turns out, is right here; right now).

Whether you’re a longtime fangirl of Homer and his epics, you’ve read some Madeline Miller, or you have no idea what I’m talking about, I truly believe you have all the information you need to go on our musical journey with Penelope. Bring your grandma. Bring your daughter. Afterwards, ask them what images came to mind when Alex’s beautiful instrumental compositions filled the space. Share a piece of yourself you lost once.

In many ways, this show is a tribute to the things we miss and the lives we wait for—to the wide horizons that fill our hearts with longing. It’s also about the journey of the everyday; the ways we grow and discover, even when we’re stuck in one place. As we continue to grapple with pain and dream of better futures, as we spend our lives learning the same lessons over and over again, we all have healing work to do.

Looking to find thine own true self or calm your inner tempest? You don’t need to be a teacher to attend our monthly workshops, and for some, like our June event (see right), you don’t even need to practice yoga. Visit our website to learn more.

June 10

Natural Practices to Improve Vision with Daniel Orlansky

September 9

Baptiste Power of Yoga / Yoga with Weights with Sherri Baptiste

November 11

Align with the Divine with Todd Norian