Echo After Echo

Gr 9 Up—Zara is an unknown actress who has been cast in the role of her dreams: the Echo in Leopoldo Henneman's rendition of the classic Greek tragedy Echo and Ariston. Her love of the play means she is willing to endure anything to hang on to that lead role, including the vividly depicted sexual harassment of the director, a capricious roommate who might be willing to kill for the role, and a leading man who just doesn't light her fire. While acting in a play about tragic love, Zara begins to discover her own potentially tragic love story with Eli, the assistant lighting designer and the heir apparent of the recently deceased Roscoe, Eli's eccentric superior. The question of a curse on the production is raised as additional cast and crew fall prey to a killer. The question of whether the cast and director are willing to tolerate a bisexual Echo whose romantic inspiration is a gay lighting designer is raised as Zara walks a fine line for her art. Devon Sorvari's characterizations enhance the story, breathing life into the characters who take themselves too seriously.