Trade in the predictable rom-com at the movie theater for the twisted, intense Greek tragedy, Euripides’ Medea. The Austin Shakespeare Company is well-known for their free performances in the park every summer (this summer, get your blanket and picnic basket ready for Macbeth), but they perform all year at different venues. Medea will be at The Long Center through early March and it’s a MUST SEE.

Medea, portrayed by the brilliant, nationally-acclaimed classical actress Franchelle Stewart Dorn, is a woman scorned—her husband, Jason, is leaving her for a princess. To help with this transition, the king has decided to banish Medea—but she won’t leave quietly, that’s for sure.

I wouldn’t dare ruin the ending for you, so all I’ll say is get ready for an emotional roller coaster—this tragic tale is warped to say the least. But that’s what makes it so fascinating!

Dorn plays Medea with such ferociousness and elegance—you fall in love with her fierce, feminist character quickly. In fact, you’re still rooting for her while she’s plotting numerous insane schemes and violent murders.

Infidelity, friendship, family, revenge, death…Medea has it all.

Buy your tickets now, especially since the event is held in one of The Long Center’s smaller theaters, so the experience feels really intimate.

Fair warning though—this isn’t a “pleasant” or “romantic” story. Definitely not a first-date kind of feel. Medea is what all Greek tragedies are—shocking and horrific, but solid entertainment.