Most people remember the classic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. (A refresher for those out of the loop: boy loves girl; girl dies; boy rescues girl; boy loses girl again because he loses control of himself.)

But the University Drama Department’s upcoming production of Sarah Ruhl’s “Eurydice” isn’t a retelling – it’s a reinvention.

For starters, the action is now set primarily from the point of view of Eurydice, meaning the majority of the action takes place in the underworld. Ruhl’s play also adds a new character to the story: that of Eurydice’s father, who is dead, and whom she encounters in Hades. Their interaction is the central focus of the work, as opposed to Orpheus’ journey to reclaim his girlfriend.

“‘Eurydice is really about holding onto memories for just a bit longer – to have one more conversation with a person that you loved that left you too soon,” said Alicia Corts, dramaturg for the play.

In addition to the play’s powerful emotional themes, “Eurydice” also allows the director and set designer to be creative.

“This is not a realistic interior or exterior [space] because you are traveling between an upper world and a lower world in the play,” said Heidi Cline, the play’s director. “And how do you do that in the Cellar Theatre, which is not a big space? So you have to represent what you think that means and think out of the box.”

Cline, who also works as the Director of Speech and Drama at St. Martin’s Episcopal School in Atlanta, brought – with her experience – a willing appreciation of the play’s abstract qualities.

“It is a beautifully poetic, modernist take on a classic myth, with the point of view shifting from Orpheus to Eurydice,” Cline said. “I love how theatrical it is. . the play establishes conventions and asks the audience to accept [them] within the framework of the story.”

What’s more, Cline found the job of directing a University production to be rewarding due to the chance to guide her cast’s experience of the work.

“It’s exciting to work with students who are getting to experience this sort of work for the first time: a play which does not have a traditional storytelling format and which has many non-realistic elements,” she said. “It is a play that requires advanced vocal, mental and physical technique – all of the actor’s tools. So, it’s perfect for training actors on that advanced level.”

Regardless of all the advanced technique at work in “Eurydice,” the crew is quick to make clear that the play is universally resonant.

“[There is] the idea of the fragility of love, relationships and memories,” Cline said. “I think the play says: we are who we are because of our experiences and memories. If that is taken away from us, what do we become? I think ‘Eurydice’ will leave audience members with a greater appreciation for … the opportunity to keep collecting love, relationships and memories while we are alive.”

The play’s appeal can, according to Corts, be summed up in one question: “If you had the chance to have one last conversation with a person you loved with all your heart, would you take it?”