"Medea," a Greek tragedy, Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and the popular fairy tale "Cinderella" all opened last night in the basement of Adams House G-entry. All at the same time. All on the same stage.

The dramatic maelstrom was the latest experimental project by veteran student director William G. Rauch '84, But the show has one more twist: the three plays are being shown a third at a time. The second part will be shown before spring break, and the third at the beginning of reading period.

Performing three plays simultaneously is, according to Rauch, "the actor's and director's ultimate dream and night-mare."

The project combines Greek tragedy, Elizabethan drama and the twentieth century musical into what Rauch calls "not a three-ring circus, but something where the three plays become three actors listening and responding to each other."

The device of splitting the show into three parts is not a gimmick to get the audience to come back each time, but a practical necessity--the cast has to spend five nights a week and some weekends just rehearsing each third of the show.

During reading period, the cast of 16 undergraduates will bring the whole show together and present it in its entirety.

Dean J. Norris '85, who plays Macbeth, said he was "a bit hesitant initially about doing it, but Bill talked me into it. It's fun to push yourself in ways you wouldn't in a more conventional production."

Actor Christopher L. Moore '86 faces the challenge of playing Lady Macbeth--all the roles in Macbeth are played by men; all those in Medea by women--while "Medea" and "Cinderella" go on at the same time.

"It's not linear because there's so much going on. It becomes a rich tapestry, one big piece of theater," Rauch explained.