THE STORY
Princess Ariadne wakes up on the shores of Naxos, abandoned by her lover, the hero Theseus. On her finger is a red thread, which leads to a doorway. Through this door lies the entrance to The Labyrinth, where the past lives on, finding solace in memories and stories. The maze is haunted by not only the shadow of the Minotaur, but by the ghosts of her old life, including a past version of herself.
​
With the help (and hindrance) of the god Dionysus, Ariadne tries to walk the fine line between exploring her past and being consumed by it. It is only by working together that Ariadne and Dionysus can go beyond the labyrinth into the next chapter of their lives.
ABOUT US
Unwound: Beyond the Labyrinth began as a series of poems in 2015 by Amanda Gulla. After testing the concept with a ten-minute play version called "Corona" which premiered at West Chester University in 2019 as part of their Student Written One-Act Festival, it was decided by Amanda that the story of Ariadne and Dionysus should become a full-length two-act musical.
​
While initially intended to be a live stage production, the necessity for change in the name of safety and health due to the hilariously named Coronavirus (COVID-19) led to more than just a name change. The show became entirely virtual, leading a self-produced series of readings and workshops which culminated in a 2021 Virtual Concert of the first act of the show.
​
As the pandemic continued to rage unfettered, and with limited support and health systems, it was decided that even though theaters WERE opening again in 2022, there would be a tremendous risk to creators and audiences alike.
​
Looking to other creative precedents in times of plague, Amanda turned to longtime inspiration Howard Ashman, who had made the shift from stage musicals to animated ones during the AIDS epidemic before his untimely passing in 1991. Even if our actors couldn't be together, the animated characters could.
The aim of this project is the continued effort to promote safety and life over entrepreneurial aims. We will continue to deconstruct, examine, and demolish practices that do not serve life, compassion, community, and understanding.