If Facebook were around in ancient Sumeria, the goddess Inanna’s relationship status would probably read, “It’s complicated.” The goddess of fertility, warfare, and sex, this powerful figure in Sumerian mythology was something of a trickster who prowled taverns for vulnerable men and banished her husband to the underworld.
Heidi Rettig and Stephanie Ansin were wise to excise this dark material from the study guide associated with Inanna and the Huluppu Tree, the new show Ansin is mounting at Miami Theater Center (9806 NE Second Ave., Miami Shores) for ages 8 and older. In Ansin and Fernando Calzadilla’s adaptation, Inanna is spun in a more positive light, as the spiritual savior for the depressed ancient city of Uruk, dispatched to restore the town after the death of its beloved king. She comes upon a tantalizing huluppu tree floating in a river of citizens’ tears, plants it to the objections of many, and watches as it alters the lives of a few wayward deities. Expect production qualities fit for a more adult production, complete with original music, aerial choreography, and an array of lavish, feathered period costumes designed by Caldazilla.
Tuesdays-Fridays, 10 a.m.; Saturdays, 7 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Starts: May 1. Continues through June 2, 2013