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Overview

Synopsis

Dionysus “the raucous god of theatre and inebriation" wants to visit the Underworld and see his favorite playwright, the recently deceased Euripides. Accompanied by his slave Xanthius, Dionysus first consults Heracles and then departs, alive, down into Hades. The pair, who cross into the underworld with the hellish boatman Charon, are mocked by a chorus of frogs, try to fool Heracles’ rival Aeacus with a game of disguises, and eventually become embroiled in an infernal rivalry between Euripides and Aeschylus. Dionysus is called upon by Pluto to judge which was the better playwright, with the winner being returned to the land of the living to provide comfort to war-ravaged Athens.

The Frogs, written just one year after Euripides’ death, is a good-humored homage to the great Tragedarian and his contemporaries Aeschylus and Sophocles. Like many of Aristophanes’ comedies, there is also a political message in the play, and many scholars believe that the conflict between Euripides and Aeschylus is meant to metaphorically represent the Peloponneisian war.

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
1
Genres
Comedy
Settings
Multiple Settings
Time & Place
Ancient Greece
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
None
Dancing
None
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult Characters, Large Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Xanthias

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Dionysus

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Heracles

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Aeacus

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Euripides

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Aeschylus

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Pluto

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Corpse

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Charon

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Hostess

Featured

Female

Non-singer

Plathane

Featured

Female

Non-singer

Maid of Persephone

Featured

Female

Non-singer

Chorus of Frogs

Ensemble

Either Gender

Non-singer

Chorus of Blessed Mystics

Ensemble

Either Gender

Non-singer

Attendants (2)

Ensemble

Either Gender

Non-singer

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

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Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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