BC Theatre to Present THE TROJAN WOMEN, 11/20-23

The Boston College Theatre Department will present Euripides' compelling Greek tragedy The Trojan Women, translated by Brendan Kennelly. Directed by Boston College Theatre Department Associate Professor John Houchin and choreographed by Assistant Professor Sun Ho Kim, the production will be presented on the mainstage of BC's Robsham Theater Arts Center from November 20-23.

The Trojan Women, Euripides' most aggressive anti-war play, was written in 415 BCE during the Peloponnesian War. It tells the story of women who are left alive after the fall of Troy. According to organizers, the production has been contemporized to reveal a world similar to our own; war the leaves women emotionally and physically ravaged, illustrating that the true victims of war have not changed since the Greeks attacked Troy nearly 3500 years ago.

Kennelly's translation emphasizes women as the most desired "bounty" of war. The end of fighting means that the victorious soldiers may enslave, sell, or attack those whom they conquer; so the women will, as Cassandra says, "go down through that appalling night to find [their] special light." The women understand what the men do not: being survivors of war creates a fierceness in women, an immutable strength that will one day overpower their military victors.

In Houchin's view, The Trojan Women tells the story of women who are utterly alone. "Their husbands are dead. Their homes are destroyed and their freedom is lost," he said. "Most importantly, their gods have deserted them. However, their fate is far from sealed. War cannot destroy their ferocity and strength."

Three outstanding Boston designers, organizers note, will help bring this production to life. Scenic Designer Brynna Bloomfield (Lyric Stage Company, SpeakEasy Stage, The Nora Theatre Company and Brandeis University design faculty) will create an environment with rubble, concrete and abstract constructions that depict the remnants of war. Lighting designer Scott Clyve (Broadway, off-Broadway and regional theaters) will give the world of the play a timeless quality that reflects today's current global conflicts. Costume Designer Molly Trainer (Elliott Norton and Independent Reviewers of New England awardee) will bring styles inspired by the Middle East, Africa, Mexico, and the United States to represent survivors of war from around the world.

To purchase tickets to The Trojan Women, please visit bc.edu/tickets or visit the Robsham Theater Box Office.