@theresemallory2425

2 years ago

What a beautiful way of introducing a broader audience to the greatness of Plato! By visiting the grounds where this universal genius lived and taught, and by expressing your joy at being there, you bring him back to life again! I am sure that this short documentary will inspire any number of viewers to read or to reread Plato's immortal dialogues. And in these turbulent times, humanity needs philosophy (the love of wisdom) more than ever. In 1986, I attended a conference of the Schiller Institute in Virginia. At this conference, a dramatic performance of Plato's "Apology" complete with costumes and with music, was presented to an audience of about 1,000 people. About half of these people had probably never been exposed to Plato before. Yet the audience was totally engaged in the performance, and gave the actors a standing ovation at the end. Since that time, I have adapted sections of Plato's dialogue "The Symposium" and parts of "The Republic" for stage, and have directed their performance. The sections which I chose were not only very profound, but also very hilarious. Among other things, Plato had a fantastic sense of humor and irony. These philosophical dramatic productions were always well received, including by non-academic, working people. There are so many creative ways of teaching and elevating the consciousness of those around us, as Socrates and Plato sought to do. I have always thought that the great philosophical works of both East and West, are a treasure trove for inspiring new artistic creations in music, poetry, drama, painting, architecture etc.

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