“I think we all got spirit in us, no matter who you pray to, no matter what you believe, no matter what you clap for, there’s a spirit in all of us,” co-director Mark J.P. Hood said. “Coming to this show is a spiritual event. It’s not Christian, it’s not Jewish, it’s not Muslim, it’s not Greek. Well, it’s a little Greek because that’s what it’s about, but it’s a spiritual event.”
“I saw the original production in 1983 at Brooklyn Academy of Music and as a result decided, hey, if classic texts and music can create such a spiritual event that lifts the entire community in that theater to a cathartic experience like one imagines in Greek theater, and yet it’s contemporary for today, and it’s all of us doing that together, that’s what I wanted to do with my life,” said Charles Newell, Court Theatre’s artistic director.
One of the cast members, Shari Addison, performed in the original world tour. The role she originated is now played by her daughter, Jessica Seals. The directors have high praise for the all-Chicago cast. The directors are both sons of preachers. Following rehearsal, they gave final notes to the cast in advance of opening night.