Director Ethan McSweeny on Ion

Director Ethan McSweeny discusses his production of Euripides’ Ion.  In Ion, the Greek playwright Euripides crafts a remarkable romance of loss and reconciliation. Abandoned by his parents, Ion grows up as an orphan at Apollo’s temple. But when his mother appears in search of a prophecy, Ion must confront both his painful past and his unexpected destiny. Euripides’ plot twists and turns with jealousy and revenge before culminating in a reunion scene of deep tenderness and pathos. Ethan McSweeny returns to direct his second Greek tragedy for STC, after his “stunning … acutely theatricalâ€� production of The Persians in 2006 (The Washington Post). He will direct the American premiere of David Lan’s new version, which captures the rich beauty of this neglected masterpiece.  The production runs March 10 to April 12, 2009, in the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW).