Beckwith Theatre Company’s first play of the 2017 season does exactly what it says on the tin, as performers rush to cram both of Homer’s epics and other classic tales from Greek mythology on stage in 99 minutes or less.

The Dowagiac community theater debuts its production of Jay Hopkins’ and John Hunter’s “The Iliad, The Odyssey and All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less” Friday at its playhouse, located at 100 New York Ave. Beckwith will stage the show the next two weekends, with curtains rising at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays.

Tickets for the play cost $10, and may be purchased at the box office on show nights. People may reserve seats by calling (269) 782-7653.

Just as the title proclaims, the comedy attempts to retell the timeless myths from ancient Greece, including the creation of the world, the gods and mankind, as well as the story of fabled Trojan War and clever Odysseus’ journey to return home to his family within a 99-minute time frame. Staying true to the their word, the production team has installed a clock on stage to let audiences — and the cast — know how much time is left.

If trying to shove so many stories into a narrow timeframe was not challenging enough, the script calls for only five cast members — meaning the actors and actresses portray up to 32 characters during the show.

“It’s the one time where having multiple personalities actually comes in handy,” said Adrienne Glisson, one of the actors in the show.

Gender is not an obstacle either, as men are often called to play women and vice versa. Some of the actors are even asked to play horses.

“Everyone dies a lot,” said
Denise Miller, another of the play’s performers. “I can die on stage between eight to 17 times, depending on how much time we have left.”

While the play does not require an elaborate set, as the constant character entrances and exits would make scene changes impossible, the cast makes use of dozens of props, from helmets to swords to bolts of lightning.

The cast — comprised of familiar Beckwith characters and several newcomers — have practiced together for the last several weeks. While nailing down the lines, cues and comedic timing proved challenging on its own, the members faced another issue during rehearsals: keeping a straight face during the show’s many humorous moments.

“If you don’t like fun or laughter, you should probably just stay at home,” said Michael Clarkson, who plays the role of “Male 1” in the show. “Otherwise, you need to be here this weekend.”

Benton Harbor’s Vineyard 2121 will host an opening night wine reception during Friday’s premiere. Mahar Insurance Agency and Dr. Alan K. Montgomery are sponsoring the production, which is presented with special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Directors

Andi Creasbaum and Rebecca Maxey

Cast

Male 1 — Michael Clarkson

Male 2 — Jason Dobberstein

Male 3 — Brian Beckwith

Female 1 — Adrienne Holt Glisson

Female 2 — Denise Miller

Crew

Stage Manager/Prompter — Kay Preston

Props Mistress — Tara Schaefer

Props Assistant — Joe Topp

Lighting & Sound Design — Lloyd Whitmyer and Matt Davidson

Set Construction — Matt Davidson, Sam Jones, Andi Creasbaum and Rebecca Maxey

Poster/Art Design — Mandy Lattin

Photographer — Rebecca Kellogg, Blue Print Photography