Eight Kenyon students will join acclaimed professional actors as part of an upcoming campus production of ancient Greek texts in an evening meant to cultivate complex dialogue about the human cost of war.
Theater of War Productions, a groundbreaking company co-founded by Bryan Doerries ’98 H’17 that uses classic texts to launch conversations about contemporary issues, will present “Hector, Andromache and the Death of Astyanax” on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. in Oden Auditorium. The program is free and open to the public; RSVPs are required at towpkenyon.eventbrite.com.
The evening will begin with dramatic readings from Book VI of Homer’s “Iliad” and scenes from “The Trojan Women” by Euripides. Both involve the death of Astyanax, the son of Andromache and the Trojan prince, Hector, who is killed in the Trojan War.
Participants, including the Chorus made up of students, come from a variety of backgrounds whose lives or perspectives have been impacted by war — one student is from Ukraine — to help frame a powerful, healing conversation centered on the suffering of children and civilians.
In keeping with the format of all Theater of War Productions’ events, the reading will be followed by members of the cast initiating a discussion of what most resonated with them in today’s world. Doerries, the company’s artistic director, then will facilitate a conversation with the audience.
“Our whole model is about creating the conditions for open discourse and democratized dialogue,” Doerries said. “The goal of Theater of War Production’s work is to generate spaces not just of complexity and democracy but also of healing. And we know that reading a play and talking about it isn’t going to heal some of these fractures and divides that are intergenerational, but we believe that it’s the role of the liberal arts to try.”
The event will feature renowned performers, including Academy Award-nominee Debra Winger, known for her roles in “Terms of Endearment” and “In Treatment;” Josh Hamilton, recognized for appearing in “Eighth Grade” and “The Walking Dead;” Chad Coleman, whose work includes "The Wire" and "The Walking Dead;" and Marjolaine Goldsmith, company manager for Theater of War Productions.
Students appearing in the Chorus are Mason Baughs ’27, Maya Ferguson ’27, Camila Jimenez Sanchez ’25, Zan Lapp ’27, Caleb Low ’28, Sofiia Shyroka ’25, Lisa Torrecillas-Jouault ’26, and Miles Versa ’25.
The project comes to Gambier as armed conflicts rage around the globe, from the Middle East to Ukraine to Sudan, and as the United States approaches a hotly contested presidential election. With this in mind, the program is part of a series of campus events that aim to foster conversations about difficult and complicated topics, according to Ted Mason, associate provost for diversity, equity and inclusion, special advisor to the president and professor of English.
“It’s part of our mission to help develop an informed citizenry, but having information itself is not enough. You have to be able to get practice in and find ways to talk with other people, face-to-face, even in those moments when you disagree,” he said. “This is a polarized political environment — nationally and internationally — and what we want to do is enable our students and all members of the Kenyon community to find a way of talking across the table with other people.”
The upcoming production of “Hector, Andromache and the Death of Astyanax” is just the latest collaboration between Kenyon and Theater of War Productions. Last spring, the company presented “An Enemy of the People: A Theater Project from America’s Hometown,” in which Kenyon students, faculty and staff joined fellow members of the Knox County community in a special production of Henrik Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People” that was adapted and directed by Doerries.