KENNESAW, Ga. | August 9, 2024

Ebony Golden is studying theater and acting at Kennesaw State University and her project “Jouvay Women: Rejuvenating Classical Theater in the Caribbean” is part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

For her project, Golden is working specifically with “Carnival Medea,” written and directed by Shirlene Holmes, a retelling of the classic play Medea by Euripides.

Set not in the Greek original but in Trinidad, this new adaptation follows various carnival characters through the story of a woman who, in response to her husband’s injustice, kills her children so that he can experience the pain of loss.

“This version of Medea is a unique adaptation that combines the traditions and characters of Carnival with the beauty of the spirit of Trinidad,” said Golden.

Golden uses the emancipatory strategies of the Jouvay Popular Theatre Process (JPTP) developed by Tony Hall to demonstrate the means of resistance in Carnival Medea. JPTP is a workshop that uses the characters of the Carnival of Trinidad such as the figure of the baby doll.

“With my lead investigator, Dr. Tom Fish, we conducted interviews with the playwright and director herself, Shirlene Holmes, and the production manager Chi Ife,” said Golden.

Holmes died in 2023 and Hall died in 2016. Golden’s goal is to honor their legacies by continuing their work.

Story by Alyssa Ozment

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Kennesaw State University is a leader in innovative teaching and learning, offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees to its more than 45,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the 11-college University System of Georgia. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit attract students from across the country and around the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-accredited doctoral research institution (R2), placing it in an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.