A musical adaptation of Plato's “Symposium,” set in a mythical 1930s New York.

Book by Murray Ross, Mark Arnest and Lauren Arnest

Lyrics by Lauren Arnest, Mark Arnest and Murray Ross

Music by Mark Arnest

The Setting

The lights go up on Agathon’s very elegant Manhattan penthouse, decorated in Greek revival style: tile floor, reclining couches, columns, and a view from the window overlooking Athens/New York. The guests enter during the hangover music, shunning the proffered cocktails. They are all wearing tuxedos, except Agathon, who wears a smoking jacket.

The Story

It's the night after an awards ceremony in which Agathon was honored as best dramatic playwright. Pausanias, Phaedrus, Aristophanes, and Eryximachus - the crème de la crème of high society, plus the famous philosopher Socrates - meet at Agathon’s penthouse. Hung over from last night’s festivities, they decide not to drink and instead to entertain each other with conversation (alas, they will not stick to their resolution, and everyone but So