Tags
Clytemnestra, Collaboration, Feminist Rape Theory, Greek Tragedy, Iphigenia, Iphigenia Come Home, MATC, Mid-America Theatre Conference, New Play Development, Oracle, Texas Tech Theatre and Dance, The Women of Troy, Theatre, Workshopping
The past two nights have seen a dramatic increase in Greek tragedy in my diet, and I couldn’t be happier. Last night I got to see the student preview of TTU’s The Women of Troy, for which I provided some new material in the form of oracle responses to the choral odes. Last night was the first time I got to hear the finished recordings, which were put together expertly by Seth Warren-Crowe. The production, which sought to apply the principles of feminist rape theory to the text by foregrounding the acts of sexual violence that are implicit in the text, was powerful, impeccably staged by director Ben Slate, and packed with great performances. It is particularly gratifying to know that several events have grown up around the show in order to help raise awareness and understanding of sexual violence, particularly as it exists in our culture. It feels great to be involved, even in a small way, in such an ambitious and socially-conscious project.
Tonight, I got to hear the first few read-throughs of my short play Iphigenia Come Home, which imagines an encounter between Clytemnestra and her long-dead daughter Iphigenia deep in the Underworld. Getting to hear a text for the first time is always an exciting prospect, and this time around did not disappoint. Our actresses, Meg Chamberlain (who stepped in at short notice and has been nailing the role) and Miriam Hahn have really dug deep into their characters and made this relationship feel real. My director, JP Staszel, and dramaturg, Jessica Hinds-Bond, have already brought tremendous insights to the process, giving me plenty to think about after the conference is wrapped up. The reading goes up tomorrow, with a response from George Brandt to follow.