Bacchae Before is a hybrid, experimental work of live performance inspired by the tragedies of gender reveal parties and Anne Carson’s Bakkhai, a new version of Euripedes’ The Bacchae.

The ancient drama tells the story of the murder of Pentheus, King of Thebes, at the hands of his own mother, who has joined a cult of wild women bewitched by Dionysus. Co-directed by playwright Maxe Crandall and choreographer Hope Mohr, Bacchae Before features a quartet of performers and original puppetry by Mike Chin. The cast includes Belinda He, Karla Quintero, Wiley Namman Strasser and Silk Worm.

“Bacchae Before distills and refracts a classical text of frenzy and filicide through a trans-centered, gender-affirming perspective.” — KQED Arts