Actor guides students to Greece's glory days; A classic act at middle school gives players, audience lesson.

Byline: Susan Spencer

NORTHBRIDGE - The ancient Greeks used theater to teach people about the universe and morality. Two hundred Northbridge Middle School seventh-graders enjoyed this authentic form of education in their school auditorium on Jan. 30 when actor Jeffrey Benoit, of Essex, Conn., presented "Chariot of the Sun," an energetic, interactive performance using mime, poetry and drama to share three Greek myths.

The program, supported by a grant from the Northbridge Cultural Council, coincided with the students' studies of Greek history, geography and mythology.

Mr. Benoit captured the audience's attention and engaged them in answering questions as he acted out the first myth, the story of Phaethon. Phaethon was a demigod, whose mother was a mortal and whose father was the sun god, Helios. Phaethon convinced Helios to let him drive the chariot that pulls the sun across the sky, but the boy lost control and Zeus had to destroy him before Phaethon burned up the earth.

Audience participation escalated as Mr. Benoit selected Bridgette Bousquet, 13, to play the role of Pandora; T.J. Mulgrew, 13, to play Pandora's husband; and Dylan Kraft, 12, to play Prometheus in the tale of Pandora and her mysterious box.

"It's something you don't get to do ordinarily. You felt like you were in history and you get to act it all out," said Dylan, who enjoyed his moment of fame giving fire to the mortals.

"You feel like you're more in the moment," added Bridgette.

Tyler Finnigan, 13, and Cody Bilodeau, 13, were brought on stage for the last myth to help the hero Odysseus outwit and maim the monster Cyclops.

"I thought it was pretty good because he made the play come alive," Tyler said.

The students' reactions were exactly what middle school world history teacher Jane A. Provost had hoped for when she wrote the grant proposal to sponsor Mr. Benoit's performance.

"Our goal was to bring these Greek myths to life for these students. It definitely makes a connection for them," she said. "You could see they were really riveted by the stories."

Mr. Benoit developed "Chariot of the Sun" to connect students with both history and theater. "I was living in Sicily, teaching at the university and surrounded by all these ruins. I had studied acting and I took my two loves of ancient Greek history and acting skills and put them together," he said.

"My first goal before anything else is just to present live theater," Mr. Benoit said. He said he likes students to learn that live theater is fun, vital and not boring. And, as he demonstrated with his minimal sets and costumes - defined largely by half-masks, a robe, two chairs and a drum - theater can be done very simply.

Cody Bilodeau, who valiantly fought the Cyclops, said he'll remember these myths for a long time.

T.J. Mulgrew enjoyed the chance to entertain his classmates on stage and said he learned more with the theatrical approach to ancient Greece. "It's a better learning experience than sitting in a classroom writing in a book," he said.

"Chariot of the Sun" has been performed for 100,000 students in the United States and eight foreign countries. Information can be found at www.chariotusa.com.

ART: PHOTO

PHOTOG: SUSAN SPENCER

CUTLINE: Acting out at Northbridge Middle School are, from left, seventh-graders Tyler Finnigan and Cody Bilodeau, actor Jeffrey Benoit as Cyclops, and seventh-graders T.J. Mulgrew and Dylan Kraft.