“Metamorphoses” cast members rehearse (top photo) under the direction of Saina Seraj, a third-year Master of Fine Arts student, (bottom photo) ahead of the Feb. 25-March 1 performances in SIU Carbondale’s Christian Moe Laboratory Theater. (Photos by Erasmus Tornye)
February 20, 2026
‘Metamorphoses’ hits SIU’s Moe theater stage Feb. 25-March 1
CARBONDALE, Ill. — A series of Greek myths adapted from a poem by the ancient Roman poet Ovid transforms into modern-day life when “Metamorphoses” comes to Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Christian Moe Laboratory Theater, Feb. 25-March 1.
Saina Seraj, a third-year Master of Fine Arts student in theater directing in the School of Theater and Dance, is directing the production by Tony Award-winning playwright and director Mary Zimmerman.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25-28 and 2 p.m. on March 1. The laboratory theater is in the SIU Carbondale Communications Building on campus.
Seraj, who is originally from Tehran, Iran, said the way Zimmerman “approaches storytelling left so much room for me to combine Iranian storytelling traditions with the world she created. I was also specifically drawn to the episodic nature of the play, which allows for a very dynamic directing process.”
An ‘ambitious production’
James Reifinger, associate professor and director in the School of Theater and Dance, said the “ambitious production reflects the professional standards our audiences expect from our mainstage season.”
“It invites audiences into a focused, immersive theatrical experience that is best encountered live,” he said.
Seraj said she prefers not to dictate what an audience should feel.
“My main goal is to be true to myself and my vision, and I would like them to notice that authenticity,” she said. “I am directing, and I am speaking through this work; I simply want to be myself on that stage.”
A ‘meaningful journey’
Seraj said she’s “very excited” and believes the project provided her with a “meaningful journey.”
“These past three years at SIU have been a very important part of my life, and this play is a reflection of that,” said Seraj, who earned her bachelor’s degree in puppet theater from the University of Tehran. Her background in object theater and puppetry “heavily influences” how she approaches visual storytelling and stage composition in her directing work.
Seraj was drawn to SIU “because of the program's reputation for allowing directors to explore both the theoretical and practical sides of the craft. The support for unique research, especially work that intersects political and pedagogical theater, made it the right fit for me.”
She praised the work of the 10-member cast.
“Our actors have worked incredibly hard to bring these myths to life, and we can't wait to share this transformation with everyone,” she said.
The cast comprises:
- First woman — Lydia Holterman, senior, St. Charles, Missouri.
- Second woman — Laura Marjorie Taylor, English, creative writing, 1994 graduate, Herrin, Illinois.
- Third woman — Rheannon Bohlman, freshman, musical theater and psychology, freshman, Rockford, Illinois.
- Fourth woman — Grace Anderson, freshman, musical theater, Sandwich, Illinois.
- Fifth woman — Katie Polk, freshman, musical theater, Milford, Michigan.
- First man — Cole Wimberly, freshman, theater, Salem, Illinois.
- Second man — Ace Howard, sophomore, theater, Chicago.
- Third man — Eli Cochran, freshman, musical theater, Vienna, Illinois.
- Fourth man — Van Leonard, senior, musical theater, Nashville, Tennessee.
- Fifth man — Jack Sigafoos, sophomore, musical theater, Staunton, Illinois.
- Production stage manager — Ellie Reppe, sophomore, theater, West Chicago, Illinois.
- Assistant stage manager — Elliot Keefer McGee, freshman, Carbondale.
Seraj will graduate in May and will be pursuing an interdisciplinary doctorate in theater and drama at Northwestern University. She is also interested in continuing her research of protest, humor and political theater, “specifically looking at how performance functions in restricted environments.”
Ticket information
Tickets for all of the School of Theater and Dance’s remaining productions are available online, by phone at 618-453-5741 and at the McLeod Theater Box Office. Individual tickets are $25 for adults 21 and older, $20 for senior citizens 55 and older, $10 for students age 13-21 and $8 for children 12 and younger.
Tickets can also be purchased on the night of the performance. The McLeod Theater Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and one hour before each performance.
(Editor’s note: Saina Seraj is pronounced SIGH-nuh she-RAHJ, with the last name having a soft “j” sound at the end.)