Agave enters the palace, bearing Pentheus’ head (which she thinks is a head of a mountain lion) on her thyrsus. She boastfully shows her trophy to the chorus of Bacchae and then to her father Cadmus, who enters on the scene with the rest of Pentheus’ body.

Agave is brought to the realization of what she has done by her father and as her Bacchic ecstasy wears off Agave is horror-stricken at what she has done and realizes that she has been punished for her impiety.


The last part of the monologue is Agave’s lamentation. She laments that her son has been torn to pieces. She is reluctant to embrace the body, which she herself has murdered. She overcomes her reluctance and kisses the face of her son and parts of the corpse.

I welcome you to ask questions about the performance – the process or the product. I also welcome your observations and feedback.

It is a great honor for me to share this monologue with you.

In gratitude for this opportunity, Andonia Cakouros


BIOGRAPHY OF ANDONIA CAKOUROS 

Andonia Cakouros has been a Professor of Theatre at California State University of Sacramento in California since 1977, teaching Acting of all levels, Oral Expression of Literature, Movement, Opera Workshop and Theatre classes for Education Majors.  She also developed a course in Drama Therapy for the Professional School of Psychology.  As an actress, choreographer, director and writer, she has explored the complex and liberating processes that drama brings as its gift. Professor Cakouros believes theatre to be a healing art—sacred and potent—invaluable for psychodynamic therapy as well as the stage.

Some of the most important roles Andonia has played are Agave from the Bacchae under the direction of the renowned director,
Takis Mouzenidis of the National Theatre of Greece, Jocasta from Seneca’s Oedipus, Liz Morden from Our Country’s Good, Ouisa from Six Degrees of Separation and one of her favorite musical roles was Anita from West Side Story.

Her direction and movement /choreography work in a production of Antigone garnered her an international award from the Professional Theatre Artists Guild (1996).

Directing originals is always a favorite of Prof. Cakouros. In 1993 a production of There’s a fence Around My House, by Michele Soares was chosen from amongst 128 productions to compete at the regional/national level. This production was honored as one of two in consideration for the National Kennedy Center.

Andonia served as choreographer and movement specialist in a production of A Thousand Cranes, a great honor was bestowed on the production at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Andonia has served the Greek Community of Sacramento as a past dance director and as a member of the choir for 28 years. Numerous projects in the community have been produced, choreographed and directed by Andonia with recognition locally, regionally and nationally.

Professor Cakouros was asked to deliver the keynote address in 1997 at her undergraduate alma mater, University of Pittsburgh, delivering her address to the honors students. It was a great honor for her.

Andonia has delivered papers and performed at three international conferences. Her papers are published in several languages. 

She is currently working on a one-woman show to be produced June 2006 in Sacramento. The performance will be classical Greek monologues, original writings, chants and choreography by Andonia woven into a Journey, a journey by which the Greek characters serve as guides and obstacles and become partner to her revealing and her own mystery.  English, Modern Greek and Ancient Greek will be spoken or sung in the play.

Andonia Cakouros comes from parents born in Sparta, Greece. Her roots have played an important part in her artistic journey. The passion she has for Greek Theatre is profound. Early years singing in the church, dancing the Greek traditional dances and exploring the complex psychological and spiritual messages of the Greek poetry and Greek Drama as well as the Liturgy set a fertile ground for Andonia to be penetrated by the sacred Mystery that is Greek Theatre. It is the Light and the Darkness that create her path. It is her belief in the Divine that infuses and informs her work as teacher, mentor and artist.

In 1993, in Cyprus, Andonia performed at the Ancient Curium Theatre with Cypriot Actors, organized by Photos Photiades, a well known actor and director of Cyprus-this was filmed and shown on CYBC and the BBC.

Andonia lived in Greece for four months in 1995 while on sabbatical attending the Ancient Greek Theatre Olympics, directing, coaching actors and performing.

In 1999 Andonia co-founded n.r.t;New Ritual Theatre, with the hope of a theatre that would open its arms to artists around the globe.

In December 2003 Andonia was invited to deliver a paper in Thessalonikki, Greece at an international conference sponsored by IDISIEEP.

In January 2005 Andonia visited the International Conference in Hawaii where she presented a paper and gave a performance. 

In February 2005 she was the invited guest of the Hellenic Link to perform and present a paper in Chicago.

Educational background: 

Ph.D. Equivalency granted in 1986 (CSUS).
MA June 1977 from Northwestern University.
BA from University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in 1974 in English, Speech, Theatre and Secondary Education Credential.

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