The Theater Department will present it’s production of Aristophanes’ lusty comedy, Lysistrata, tonight at 7.

The ancient Greek comedy tells the story of a war between two of the city-states, Athens and Sparta, play director Jerry Eisenhour, said. The men of Athens and Sparta had already been fighting for 20 years before Aristophanes wrote his play.

Because the women were frustrated with the war they decided to band together and attack the men with a very powerful feminine weapon – they deprived the men of sex until they signed a peace treaty, Eisenhour said. The determined Athenian, Lysistrata, leads the women in their mission.

“This is very outrageous because women in those days were thought of as possessions,” Eisenhower said.

The main character, Lysistrata, is played by Camille Garcia, a junior theater major. “I’m really excited about the play,” she said. “Jerry (Eisenhour) has revised it so the language is easier to understand so that the main objective can come across easier to an audience. We’re all having a really great time doing it.”

Later in the play, as a result of the women withholding sex, the men start to show “definite signs” of deprivation from sex, Eisenhour said. “This is where some people will get offended,” he said.

“What Aristophanes was trying to do was show how ridiculous (the war) was,” Eisenhour said. “(Aristophanes) was a very bold and bawdy.”

Because of the signs of deprivation that the men show, Eisenhour said that some who attend the production will walk away a little offended. “It will offend some people, but if they keep a sense of humor they’ll enjoy it…it’s funny,” he said. “The cast has really been having fun with it.”

Garcia said she really believes that everyone is going to be fine with the scenes in the play. “I think they’ll really enjoy it and have a good time with it,” she said.

“Even if they aren’t (fine with it), the set and the costumes are so colorful that its like eye candy,” she said.

In Aristophanes’ play, the women win their battle against the war and the men sign the treaty ending the war. However, in reality, the war went on for another seven years before a treaty was signed.

The play will be performed tonight through Friday at 7 p.m. in the Doudna Fine Arts Center and a special matinee presentation is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets for the production are available at the theater box office or by phone at 581-3110 between 1 and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets will also be sold one hour prior to each performance.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors faculty and staff and $3.50 for students. No one under the age of 17 will be admitted.