Calais/Zetes
Calais and Zetes are sons of Boreas, the North Wind, and Oreithyia, one of the Nereides. Called the Boreadae they were gifted with the speed to match the wind or flight. T hey rescued Phineus from the harpies and in thanks Phineus tells the Argonauts how to pass the Symplegades, or the Clashing Rocks. Some myths state they were killed by Heracles for persuading the Argonauts to sail without him while he searched for his lover, Hylas. Other accounts foretell of the harpies demise by the sons of Boreas, but that they themselves would die if they could not catch what they pursue.
In Seanan Palmero’s retelling, Cal and Zeke are Canadian bush pilots on the trail of one harpy of an escaped con- one that is more force of nature than human- when their plane falls from the sky in the middle of the wilderness. Grounded and out of favor with the winds, their skills as small aircraft pilots useless, the brothers disagree on how to continue: one wants to turn back while the other wants to press on.
CALAIS AND ZETES by Seanan Palmero
Directed by Steven Westdahl
Staged Reading on November 11, 2015
Seanan Palmero is a local playwright and Bay Area native. Her work has been produced or had staged readings at previous Olympians Festivals, Theater Pub, Berkeley Rep’s Summer Playwriting Workshop and Santa Clara University’s Playwrights Festival. She has served on the literary committees of the Magic Theatre and Marin Theatre Company, worked as a dramaturg and stage manager, and wrote program articles for Shakespeare Santa Cruz and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.