That's probably how the conversation went when director Kathleen Woods presented her selection for the school's fall play to the drama students—a modernized re-write of the English translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses, written by Mary Zimmerman, a professor of performance studies at Northwestern University. It is a collection of Greek myths that centers around, and actually in, a pool of water. Woods says she knew the play would make the students shine in every way.

"As soon as I started reading it, I fell in love with it," Woods says. "It offered so much to the students. I really like the fact that it is modernized; the playwright did a remarkable job making it theatrical and modern. And it offers lots of performance opportunities for students."

Metamorphoses tells the story of nine ancient Greek myths, many of whom the average person would recognize, including the popular story of King Midas, who turns everything he touches into gold. Three main narrators talk to each other, entertaining themselves by recalling the mythical stories, while behind them, they are brought to life for the audience by actors.

"The whole story revolves around the classic myths, told by the Greeks, of gods meddling in humans' lives," explains Kat Nakaji, a senior tech student working behind the scenes on the production.

Jonathan Friedman, a senior who is acting in the play, says the modernized myths are easy enough to understand, but at the same time a welcome challenge for the cast and crew.

"There's lots of good character acting," Jonathan says. "Finding the emotions and the cause and reason for what our characters do—things a normal person might not do—has been challenging." Jonathan plays two different characters in the show: Erysichton, an arrogant king who scorns the gods, and Philemon, a beggar whom he says embodies human passion and love.

"It's more abstract, it's not a realist play," says Sonnet Sparacino, a junior who portrays one of the three narrators. "It's definitely more 'artsy' than our previous plays."

Cast members point out that each mythical tale has a universal moral, such as "be thankful for what you have."

"All the themes have to do with love in some way," Sonnet says.

Senior Meg Stevens, the senior costume designer for the production, says the clothing adds to deeper themes within the overall play.

"All mortals [in the stories] wear basically the same costume and color, because they are not individuals," she says, explaining that they will wear uniform, traditional Greek clothing resembling togas. "They represent humanity as a whole; they represent something bigger than themselves." She adds that the gods will wear more modern costumes, because "today's gods are movie stars."

With all the storylines and costumes in place, there is one main aspect of the production left, the set—and the set for Metamorphoses is anything but ordinary.

The challenge is that the entire story takes place in and around a giant pool of water. The three narrators are on stage every minute of the show, weaving the tales while submerged in the pool's water the entire time. Multiple levels and various platforms within the pool will allow the actors to be somewhat propped up while in the water, so audiences can see them. Many of the other characters get into the pool throughout the production as well—in fact, parent volunteer Yvonne Harter estimates that 30 out of the 38 actors in the show have to get into the water at one point or another.

The tech students built the entire set, which is far more than just a plastic swimming pool—the pool blends in to elaborate wooden decks with multiple levels that the actors will use as their stage.

"It's proved really interesting," says Kat, who helped construct the set. "We've had to cut each individual [wooden] plank to get the angles right." She adds that the multiple levels also denote the "separation between the mortal world, the sky and the heavens."

The set has taken the crew nearly three months to build.

"They're here all hours, long after the actors have left," says Harter, who helps with publicity for the show and whose daughter plays one of the narrators.

As opening night looms closer, smoothing out all the rough edges for a production of this magnitude has not gone without difficulties, say cast members. All rehearsals were done on flat ground, and the multi-level set was not available to act on until two weeks before opening night—a big adjustment for movement and blocking. Another shellshock will be getting into the water with their costumes on for the first time only eight days before opening.

Still, the students remain confident that they can pull it all off without a hitch.

This play has a recommended rating of PG-13, for mature audiences. Performances are Nov. 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. All performances are held in the small theater at Saratoga High School, located at the corner of Herriman and Highway 9. Adults are $10 and students are $7. A special student rate of $5 will be available on Dec. 2. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the activities office at 408.867.3411, ext. 203, or Mary Murphy at 408.741.1662.