About the project
The Suppliants Project
Dramatic Reading of The Suppliants, by Aeschylus
Translated and Directed by Bryan Doerries
The Suppliants Project tells the timeless story of fifty female refugees seeking asylum at a border from forced marriage and domestic violence. The play not only depicts the struggle of these women to cross into safety, but also the internal struggle within the city that ultimately receives them. Using a 2,500-year-old tragedy by Aeschylus as a catalyst for powerful gatherings and crucial conversations, The Suppliants Project engages diverse audiences in humanizing, constructive dialogue about the challenges and impact of war, migration, and seeking asylum.
About the play
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The Suppliants by Aeschylus
In Aeschylus’ ancient play The Suppliants, fifty women who are fleeing forced marriages travel from Egypt to Argos in order to ask King Pelasgus for asylum. At first, Pelasgus refuses to help them, but the Argive people rally behind the women and convince their king to allow the refugees to remain under the city’s protection. When a large group of Egyptian men arrive in Argos, demanding their women back, King Pelasgus threatens them and summons his army to drive them away. The play ends with the women retreating to safety and finding asylum within the walls of Argos.
The Suppliants Project Highlights
The Suppliants Project: Ukraine
On Zoom / 2022
Watch the full recording of The Suppliants Project: Ukraine featuring performances by Oscar Isaac, Willem Dafoe, David Strathairn, and our chorus of Ukrainians! This special event had an international audience from 62 countries.
The war in Ukraine through the lens of Ancient Greek tragedy
CNN / 2022
Amanpour and Company featured an interview with Bryan Doerries, David Strathairn, and Lyudmila Yaninka on CNN. They spoke with host Sara Snider about The Suppliants Project: Ukraine and the impact of this special collaboration. Learn about Lyudmila’s humanitarian aid work, and hear 12-year-old actor Kira Meshcherska speak from Kyiv about her experiences during the war. Watch the interview.
The Suppliants Project Trailer
2020
Premiere procession of the Suppliants Project
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
The premiere began with a procession of the chorus and Danaus, played by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and the band, inclusive of drummers, turtle, and conch players.
Premiere procession of the Suppliants Project
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
The premiere began with a procession of the chorus and Danaus, played by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and the band, inclusive of drummers, turtle, and conch players.
Premiere procession of the Suppliants Project
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
The premiere began with a procession of the chorus and Danaus, played by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and the band, inclusive of drummers, turtle, and conch players.
Premiere procession of the Suppliants Project
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
The premiere began with a procession of the chorus and Danaus, played by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and the band, inclusive of drummers, turtle, and conch players.
Premiere procession of the Suppliants Project
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
The premiere began with a procession of the chorus and Danaus, played by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and the band, inclusive of drummers, turtle, and conch players.
Premiere procession of the Suppliants Project
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
The premiere began with a procession of the chorus and Danaus, played by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and the band, inclusive of drummers, turtle, and conch players.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams plays Danaus
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
David Zayas plays Pelasgus
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
War Dance
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
Paula Castillo, distinguished Garifuna singer
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
The Suppliants Chorus
Andrew Freedman Home
War Dance
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
Dancers from the Audience
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
Maria Guity dancing
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
Tesa Arozqueta from the Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
David Zayas as Pelasgus
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
Conch player
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
Bill Camp plays the Messenger
Andrew Freedman Home / 2019
The Suppliants Theater of War Music Workshop
Bronx NY / 2019
The Suppliants Project Premiere
Valencia College, Orlando, FL / 2019
Souraya Ghalayini serves on the panel along side Liliana Alvarez, Sam Montione, and Jacqueline Miszuk at the premiere of The Suppliants Project.
The Suppliants Project Premiere
Valencia College, Orlando, FL / 2019
Liliana Alvarez serves on the panel of The Suppliants Project.
The Suppliants Project Premiere
Valencia College, Orlando, FL / 2019
Obi Abili performs in The Suppliants Project premiere
Explore Projects
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Consent & Sexual ViolenceTapeTape has been developed as a sexual assault awareness and prevention training program that uses dramatic readings of Stephen Belber’s 1999 play to ignite powerful discussions about consent, sexual assault, rape, and power dynamics.
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Domestic ViolencePatient and Impatient GriseldaTheater of War Productions and Margaret Atwood return to the Toronto International Festival of Authors with an exciting new collaboration exploring power and control, domestic violence, and family dynamics by way of two versions of the same story, one written by Giovanni Boccaccio in 1348 during the bubonic plague and the other by Atwood in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. In Bocaccio’s version, a woman named Griselda remains in an abusive and controlling relationship, showing great patience and forbearance in the face of her husband’s sadism and cruelty. In Atwood’s version, Griselda takes matters in her own hands and, with the help of her sister, turns the tables on her husband.
This free, public event featured a live, dramatic reading of the “Patient Griselda” story from Boccaccio's Decameron by Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, Fleishman is in Trouble), Maev Beaty (Beau is Afraid, Mouthpiece), and Araya Mengesha (Tiny Pretty Things, Nobody). Then, in response, Margaret Atwood performed “Impatient Grisleda,” a story that is narrated to a group of humans in quarantine by an alien that looks like an octopus. The readings of both texts was followed by immediate responses by community panelists and culminated in a guided audience discussion, facilitated by Bryan Doerries (Artistic Director, Theater of War Productions).
Co-presented by Theater of War Productions and Toronto International Festival of Authors.
This hybrid presentation took place in person at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre Theatre and on Zoom Webinar on September 30, 2023.
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