'Hurricane Diane' blows into the Vortex Theatre
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Diane is a permaculture gardener dripping with butch charm.
But her allure is a ruse.
Her true identity lies with the Greeks 鈥� the Greek god Dionysus.
鈥淗urricane Diane鈥� opens at the Vortex Theatre on Friday, July 28. This Southwest premiere runs through Aug. 13.
鈥淚t focuses on the things I鈥檓 interested in 鈥� environmental chaos,鈥� said director Bridget Dunne. 鈥淚t looks at this complex group of women.鈥�
Dionysus has returned to the modern world to gather mortal followers and restore the earth to its natural state. She first stops at a cul-de-sac in Red Bank, New Jersey, where she鈥檒l need all of her supernatural abilities to seduce four female friends who all want something different from her.
In this Obie-winning comedy with a twist, Pulitzer Prize finalist Madeleine George pens an evisceration of the blind eye we all turn to climate change and the bacchanalian catharsis that awaits us, even in our own backyards.
鈥淚鈥檝e loved Greek mythology since I was a kid,鈥� Dunne said. 鈥淭he fact that a Greek god shows up in the modern world is pretty delightful.鈥�
But not all goes according to plan. Dionysus misjudges one of the women. She thinks the first will be the easiest to recruit, but she鈥檚 wrong.
鈥淭he women perceive Dionysus as a butch lesbian,鈥� Dunne said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 the god Dionysus, so she鈥檚 had other forms and other jobs.鈥�
鈥淗urricane Diane鈥� premiered off-Broadway in 2019 at New York Theatre Workshop, under the direction of Leigh Silverman. The play made its world premiere at Two River Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey in 2017.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a strange play,鈥� Dunne said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very funny in some parts. It鈥檚 very sexual. I certainly wouldn鈥檛 recommend the play for younger folks. It is adult content.鈥�
