Daughters of Leda

By Madeline Sayet
Directed by Shannon R. Davis
April 27–30, 2023
Zellerbach Playhouse

As the seasons change and Persephone returns to the underworld, a mortal girl arrives at the same time asking questions that turn history upside down. The Fates have a game up their sleeves—they are tired, they need a vacation. But in order to leave, they have to return the stories they exploited.

In a whirlwind of events, Adam and Eve, Leda (and the Swan), Helen, Clytemnestra, Iphigenia, and Electra all come together to choose their own destinies and finally tell their side of the stories that have instilled fear of feminine knowledge for far too long.

Blue silhouettes of the three Fates, divine women of the underworld, unravel a winding golden rope

_{Art by Saira Brown}

Event Information

Plan Your Visit

Tickets

Buy tickets online at tickets.berkeley.edu up to two hours before each performance. Buy tickets in-person at Zellerbach Playhouse beginning one hour before each performance.

Audience Advisories

This production includes references to suicide and rape, a brief depiction of domestic violence, and use of artificial fog/haze. If you have questions about content or stage effects, please email tdpsboxoffice@berkeley.edu

COVID Safety Protocols

Every guest is required to wear an appropriate, properly-fitting mask while inside Zellerbach Playhouse. Learn more here.

Accessibility

To request wheelchair accessible seating, assisted listening devices, large print programs, or other accommodations, please contact us at least 7–10 days in advance: tdpsboxoffice@berkeley.edu

Arrival & Doors

Please plan to arrive on campus 30–40 minutes prior to an event to ensure that you are in your seat before showtime. The lobby opens 30 minutes prior to the performance, and the theater opens 20 minutes prior to the performance.

Additional information for guests is available here.

Companion Conversation

Daughters of Leda playwright Madeline Sayet and director Shannon Davis joined in conversation with fellow Indigenous theater artist Beth Piatote on April 20. They began with the question, "Why are we drawn to the classics of Greek mythology?" Watch the recording below.

Indigenous Theater Artists in Conversation

Post-Show Discussion

Join us after the show on Friday, April 28 for a discussion about the creative process with director Shannon R. Davis and other members of the production team. Open to all ticket holders.

The Cast

pictured left to right

Lulu Cardoza (Old Woman, Child, Swan)
Ítarala Gamboa Cayetaño García (Alex, Eve)
Emma Gardner (Spin, Electra)
Jordan Goodwin (Measure, Iphigenia)

Emma Hoehn (Girl, Clytemnestra)
Gibran Mustafa (Adam)
Jayda Nunley (Persephone)
Sophia Partain (Helen)

Audrey Schultz (Cut, Chrysothemis)
Maria Seiple (Hades, Snake)
Haley Ruth Spencer (Leda, Mother)

The Creative Team

Madeline Sayet, Playwright

Madeline Sayet is a Mohegan theater maker who believes the stories we pass down inform our collective possible futures. She serves as an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University with the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (ACMRS), and is the Executive Director of the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program (YIPAP). Her plays include Where We Belong, Up and Down the River, Antigone Or And Still She Must Rise Up, Daughters of Leda, and The Neverland.

Shannon R. Davis, Director

Shannon R. Davis is a Bay Area-based director and storyteller originally from Wisconsin. She is in the CalShakes Artist Circle and is the Director of Community Connections at American Conservatory Theater. She describes her directorial focus as “classical re-envisionings through an intercultural lens to explore societal inequities and raise awareness. Then I add in some silliness.” She holds an MFA in Directing & Acting from UW-Madison.

Stage Manager
Hannah Bailey

Scenic Designer
Deanna L. Zibello

Sound Designer
Daniela Chaparro

Costume Designer
Wendy Sparks

Puppet Designer
Steven Flores

Lighting Designer
Ray Oppenheimer

Intimacy Choreographer
Jeunée Simon