Aeschylus, The Oresteia (adaptation)

Giant stone, wire, and wood sculptures evoke the ruins of Athens in Hero Now Theatre’s first production of its second season. This September, a classic of ancient Greek drama—The Oresteia by Aeschylus—will be performed in a modern adaptation by Minnesota poet and classicist Rob Hardy.

Hardy’s compelling, 2-hour adaptation brings the ancient story alive for modern audiences. It tells of Orestes’s return from exile to revenge the murder of his father, Agamemnon the king, by his mother’s hand. But this will continue the vengeful cycle that has long cursed his family. How does he justify himself? Will he be punished, and who decides? What is the alternative to blood feuds and revenge killings? Is there any hope of restoring peace and order? This play shows something of how ancient Greeks thought about these questions, but also how our thinking both mimics and differs from theirs.

Performed outside in the sculpture garden of Zoran Mojsilov, this production will forge a bond between you and the Athenians who struggled with these important questions. Talkbacks will allow you to reflect on your feelings, and on what this ancient work says to us right now. Come experience Hero Now’s unique approach to this classic work of Greek theatre!

Complete information at heronowtheatre.org