About the Project
In 458 BC the Greek playwright Aeschylus wrote what is today’s only surviving example of a Greek theatre trilogy, a three-play epic known, collectively, as “The Oresteia.” Hailed as masterpieces in their time, these stories reflected on themes, concepts, and questions that have been explored throughout history: Is revenge ever a true path to justice? Do humans have the wisdom to merit passing judgment on others? Can we, as societies or as individuals, change our fate; or will it keep us locked in its grasped no matter which path we choose to take?
Despite their deep and startling insight into the human condition, these plays (and other Greek classics) have fallen out of favor in our modern world. The lengthy, repetitive style and slow pace is regarded as dull by viewers; and the stories they tell are all too familiar from the thousands of re-imaginings we’ve seen throughout the centuries. Although their message is raw, vibrant, and very much alive, the classic method of delivery has grown stale; even pedantic.
Enter Hodgepodge Players’ new production, “The Oresteia.” Although Aeschylus’ original plays would run as long as 4 hours each, this original adaptation keeps the action, story, and context of all three plays; but slimmed down to a mere 90 minutes in its entirety, highlighting the relationships and forward momentum at the core of this compelling saga. Intended as an introduction to the Greek theatre for the modern audience, “The Oresteia” assumes no prior familiarity with Greek culture or mythology, to make sure that you don’t miss a beat.
Join us for a thrilling evening of epic Greek action and drama, complete with gods, murder, and monsters of myth and legend; see where many of your favorite stories have their earliest roots; have some fun exploring our twists on some of the theatre’s oldest and earliest conventions; and maybe, just maybe, learn a bit about history, and yourself, in the process.
Production Team
