On Wednesday, Sept. 25, seven Villanova students will take the stage alongside five outside performers to showcase readings from Homer’s Iliad, Book VI and scenes from The Trojan Women by Euripides.
Pulling from their differing backgrounds and identities, the Villanova cast members, and the outside cast, will be using these readings to frame a powerful and healing dialogue regarding the human costs of war.
The actors’ backgrounds all connect to the themes of being impacted negatively by war and injustice within their societies and communities. Because many students in the performance are members of the Jewish community, this play and messages have a timely importance on the emphasis of peace and protection towards children and the innocent being harmed by war in Israel and Palenstine.
While there may not be a war happening in one’s direct life or experiences, many more individuals than one can imagine face these hardships and realities everyday.
“Even though war might not be happening directly towards them, I don’t think people should ignore it,” junior Zoë Magee, who participated in the performance, said. “There is power in knowledge and researching what goes on in the world. This dramatic reading should make people think about the lives lost to violence and war.”
The performance is being brought to campus by Bryan Doerries, who has a background in ancient Greek literature and adapting these works to become applicable to the audiences for which he performs.
“While I haven’t talked a ton with Bryan, I really enjoy how he talks to us as actors and helped us put the play into perspective and explained what was going on in each moment in a way that made what we were saying more relatable,” first-year master’s student Nyred Jackson, who will also be taking stage, said.
Performance Studies professors, both for the undergraduate programs and master’s programs, have been promoting and engaging students to participate in the show as well as to provide support in the audience.
“While I was studying abroad in Greece over the summer, Dr. Heidi Rose mentioned this opportunity,” Magee said.
“I was informed about Theater of War by my dramaturgy professor Chelsea Phillips and felt I had to put myself out there for it,” Jackson agreed.
Doerries’ prior works include a production of Ajax, which he adapted and produced for veterans, in order to connect the themes of PTSD and war violence. His productions have been performed across the nation in order to allow audiences to gain awareness for timely situations rooted within historical backgrounds in literature and history. By emotionally connecting with the audience, Doerries’ work has been able to impact differing communities throughout his professional career.
“We will have rehearsal with [the professional performers] before the show, but I am really excited to work with them,” Magee said. “Being a performer myself, I love seeing how professional performers can make themselves so vulnerable when on stage. Being vulnerable is one of the big steps actors must take to be seen as believable. They must not allow themselves to feel awkward because if they feel awkward so will the audience. I find their confidence admirable.”
“The Theatre of War: Hector, Andromache, and the Death of Astyanax” is set to take place in the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. The show will be free of cost to the Villanova community, but registration is required.
