A Tradition of Latin Plays

Every couple of years, as an extracurricular activity, Classics students at St. Olaf College stage one of the ancient Roman comedies written in Latin by Titus Maccius Plautus.

Because most of the people in our audiences are not fluent in Latin, the actors speak a hybrid of Latin and English, designed to be intelligible to anyone. We adapt Plautus' humor to make the play suitable for all ages; children are welcome.

The show has no intermission and runs between 60 and 70 minutes. Each performance includes six songs, based either on Plautus' lyrical passages or on dialogue passages converted to songs.

For accompaniment we use the piano and whatever other instruments our cast members can play. Our backdrops are painted bedsheets attached to portable screens. Students help make their own costumes.

In addition to giving two performances at St. Olaf, we take the show on the road to several 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. The performances at St. Olaf are always free and open to the general public.

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
Spring, 2008: Plautus' Mostellaria
Fall, 2009: Plautus' Aulularia
Spring, 2011: Plautus' Pseudolus

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