The Bacchae of Euripides: A Communion Rite By Wole Soyinka / Directed by David Emerson Toney / April 23-26 , 2026 at VCUtheatre

In the VCU Department of Theatre’s production of Wole Soyinka’s The Bacchae, we confront the unyielding scars of colonialism. Mr. Soyinka reimagines this classical myth through the lens of West African tradition and Yoruba culture, transforming the narrative into a revolutionary “Communion Rite.” Colonialism is a profound act of violence, and the journey toward peace demands a visceral, ritualistic sacrifice to wash away the past and allow a community to be fully reborn.

This production actively explores the intense energy required to silence the echo of colonialism, fostering an unflinching look at the cost of reclaiming a collective soul and the immediate necessity of disrupting an unjust status quo to achieve true healing. As we navigate this pursuit of liberation, we are guided by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr; “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”