The Suppliants at Asian Arts Initiative - Third Floor Event Hall

Sydney Marie Hughes presents a new adaptation of Aeschylus' ancient Greek tragedy, reimagined through Appalachian folklore, movement, and communal storytelling. The production follows the Danaids, fifty women fleeing forced marriage who seek refuge in Argos, exploring how their myth has been retold as victims, villains, or heroines across history. Inspired by Hughes' childhood in Kentucky, the piece imagines the myth as told by a group of Appalachian storytellers, blurring the lines between storyteller and character, folklore and history. The nine-person ensemble, The Storytellers, features Susan Betten, Madeline Burk, Eliza Carson, Nasya Gay, Jeff Hunsicker, Matt McPherson, Margaret Riley, Rasheda Sesay, and Michelle Leilani Teske.