Photos: ATHENA at Theatre NOVA

Theatre NOVA has released production photos from its production of Athena, Gracie Gardner's razor-sharp coming-of-age drama, now playing through August 9 in Ann Arbor. Check out the photos below!

Directed by Theatre NOVA Producing Artistic Director Shelby R. Seeley, Athena follows two 17-year-old fencers, Mary Wallace and Athena, as they train for the Junior Olympics while navigating friendship, rivalry, and the pressures of ambition. By turns darkly funny and deeply affecting, the play explores the fine line between competition and connection.

Jen Pan stars in the title role opposite Brittany Batell as Mary Wallace, with Amanda Buchalter as Jamie. Fight direction is by Joe Wright, with the production showcasing the talents of performers extensively trained in stage combat. Wright and Pan are the founders of Theatrica Gladiatoria, a Ypsilanti-based company dedicated to advancing the art of dramatic violence through training, choreography, and performance.

"The stories I want to tell are violently tender and ferally feminine, and Athena encapsulates that," said director Shelby R. Seeley. "I love how this show explores identity, connection, and ambition in a way that is uniquely feminine. The show demands high-level spectacle, but it's also exceptional, intimate storytelling."

Pan added, "I want people who come see this show to discover how cool fights can be and, perhaps, get interested in trying a fencing, stage combat, or martial arts class. If you loved The Princess Bride or Game of Thrones, this play is for you. Come for the swords, stay for the awkward teenage drama."

Batell echoed the production's emphasis on character, saying, "The thing about stage combat is that each fight is a mini-story in itself, of trading advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses, wins and losses." Buchalter added, "Fencing is obviously a huge part of Athena, but it's not what the show is really about. Fencing is a vehicle for what building friendships can feel like in a world that tells you everything is a competition."

The creative team includes Briana O'Neal (stage manager), Joe Wright (fight director), Kennikki Jones-Jones (sound designer), Amanda Bates (set designer), Jade Guerriero (lighting designer), Michaella Victoria (costume designer), Sydney Schropshire (assistant stage manager), Avalon McNew (assistant lighting designer), Elena Bergin (set build assistant), and Celah Convis (digital content assistant).

Athena continues at Theatre NOVA through August 9. Check out photos from the production below!

Photo Credit: Sean Carter Photography.