Classic literature is a rich source for theatre and Madea, from paperStrangers Performance Group, is a beautiful adaptation of the ancient play that uses stunning costumes to bring forth the intense story.
Melissa Fenton is the standout as Madea and takes on the role with full force. She is supported well from the Chorus and from Kellen York as Jason. The visual and the emotional are the focus of this production. The text gets a little bit lost in the the process. The costumes are excellent modernize the era. The colors are the key and tell the story in part. The rage of Madea is felt in your bones. The sounds are loud, but add to the intensity. The video adds to the color theme, but the relevance of the images is diminished with the brevity of their use.
The company is young but shows great ambition with this production. I think it could use some work on the incorporation of the text with the visual tools, but it delivers as is.