A Tradition of Latin Plays

nullEvery two years, just for fun, Classics students at St. Olaf College stage one of the ancient Roman comedies written in Latin by Titus Maccius Plautus (c. 254-184 B.C.).

Because the majority of the people in our audience do not know much Latin, the actors speak a hybrid of Latin and English, designed to be intelligible to anyone.

The show has no intermission and runs about 70 minutes. Each performance includes six songs, based either on Plautus' lyrical passages or on dialogue passages converted to songs.


nullFor accompaniment we use the piano and whatever other instruments our cast members can play. Our backdrops are painted bedsheets attached to portable screens.

In addition to giving two free public performances at St. Olaf, we take the show on tour to other schools in southeastern Minnesota. We have also performed at the national convention of Eta Sigma Phi and at the annual meeting of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South.

DVD's and videotapes of past productions are available for purchase from the director, Prof. Anne Groton.


History of Latin Plays
at St. Olaf College

Spring, 1982: Plautus' Menaechmi
Spring, 1983: Plautus' Rudens
Spring, 1984: Plautus' Mostellaria
Spring, 1985: Plautus' Miles Gloriosus - also performed at 1985 CAMWS Meeting (in Minneapolis, MN) & 1985 Eta Sigma Phi Convention (at St. Olaf College)
Spring, 1987: Plautus' Aulularia
Spring, 1989: Plautus' Pseudolus
Spring, 1992: Plautus' Mostellaria
Spring, 1993: Plautus' Menaechmi - also performed at 1993 CAMWS Meeting (in Iowa City, IA)
Spring, 1995: Plautus' Curculio
Spring, 1997: Plautus' Aulularia - also performed at 1997 Eta Sigma Phi Convention (in Minneapolis, MN)
Spring, 1999: Plautus' Miles Gloriosus
Spring, 2001: Plautus' Pseudolus
Spring, 2003: Plautus' Rudens
Spring, 2005: Plautus' Curculio - also
performed at 2005 Eta Sigma Phi Convention
(at St. Olaf College)
Spring, 2007: Plautus' Menaechmi

For more on the St. Olaf College Latin plays, see the article in Didaskalia.