ODU Rep kicks off its 2015-16 performance schedule with "Narcissus: The Ultimate Selfie," an interactive performance running Oct. 20-24 at the Goode Theatre.

Based on the Greek myth of Narcissus, the play explores selfie-mania. It is written and adapted by Konrad and Angela Winters, and directed by Konrad Winters. Konrad Winters is an associate professor of theatre at ODU. Angela Winters is an adjunct professor. She is the scenic designer of the production and previously worked on "The Miss Firecracker Contest" for ODURep. She has designed costumes for ODU productions for 30 years.

"ODURep is diving into the current mania of selfies, exploring how that obsession changes our self-image and our world," Konrad Winters said.

Performances will be held at 7:30 and 9 p.m. daily at the Goode Theatre, located at 4600 Monarch Way. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at oduartsix.com or by calling the theatre box office at 757-683-5305.

"Narcissus: The Ultimate Selfie" is produced with the generous support of the Panhellenic Studies Endowment. Angela Winters is the scenic designer of the production; her previous scenic design includes The Miss Firecracker Contest for ODURep. She has designed costumes for ODU productions for 30 years.

"Theatre or live performance in general hasn't changed since the middle of the 19th century. We still sit in a darkened room and watch a play unfold in a linear fashion," Konrad Winters said. "But something has crept into the theater that wasn't there before - the cell phone."

The device has allowed a new generation of theatergoers to connect to the outside world during the play or movie. They collect data, or information from an incredible array of sources, jumping from one data point to another, he explained.

"We decided to embrace, explore and investigate the possibilities of how this shapes the future of live performance," he said. "If theatre wants to survive as something more than a collection of museum pieces, it has to adapt; and that is part of what this presentation seeks to discover."

The Winters team looked for a singular character that would represent the concept of self-reflection, and that character was Narcissus. The stories of the ancient Greeks are timeless tales of human foibles that influence the perception of the world.

"We no longer contemplate information as a singular topic," he said. "We multi-task and create a web of ideas that are reflected as extensions of ourselves. Our ancestors traveled west in covered wagons and lived long enough to see a man walk on the moon. Today, computers, cell phones and the information overload put us in a place where time seems to accelerate. Instantaneous connections to the rest of the world are commonplace. Yet, within singular moments, time seems to stand still as we contemplate who we are and what purpose we serve."

The second show of the season will be the Tony Award-winning musical "Into the Woods," presented by ODU Rep and ODU Opera on Nov. 19-22, and again Dec. 2-5.

With music and lyrics by famed composer Stephen Sondheim, the play inspired by the Brothers Grimm is directed by assistant professor Brian Nedvin. It is appropriate for ages 9 and up.

It will be performed at 7:30 each night, with a 2 p.m. show added on Dec. 5.

Tickets for "Into the Woods" are $15 for students and $20 for the general public, and can also be purchased at oduartstix.com or by calling the box office at 757-683-5305.