Invitation Only
Lecture: "Tragedies for the Pandemic” —Bryan Doerries, Artistic Director, Theater of War Productions
This event has ended.
View upcoming events.
Thu, Sep 24.2020
Virtual Event

At the beginning of the pandemic, Theater of War Productions, a social impact company that had spent years performing ancient plays in unlikely places—hospitals, military bases, homeless shelters, and prisons—pivoted to Zoom. Their first online outing, The Oedipus Project, gathered more than 15,000 people from over 40 countries for a virtual performance of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, featuring Oscar Isaac, Frances McDormand, John Turturro, Jeffrey Wright and others, culminating in a facilitated, global discussion about the impact of COVID-19 on individuals, families, and communities. In the weeks and months that have followed, Theater of War Productions has presented more than a dozen performances on Zoom—projects based on Shakespeare’s King Lear, the Biblical Book of Job, and Sophocles’ Antigone and Women of Trachis—for an ever-expanding international audience. Now, Theater of War Productions turns its attention to Kenyon College, where it will launch a year-long virtual residency this fall.
In his lecture, “Tragedies for the Pandemic,” Theater of War Productions’ Artistic Director and Kenyon alumnus Bryan Doerries (’98) will describe how he and his company have used ancient tragedies to empower thousands of people all over the world to engage in vital, democratic, pluralistic discussions about some of the most challenging issues of our time, including racialized violence, healthcare inequality, and the moral suffering of frontline medical providers.
Explore Projects
-
Caregiving & DeathTheater of War Frontline
Theater of War Frontline is an innovative project—developed by Theater of War Productions, the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics and the Johns Hopkins Program in Arts, Humanities & Health—that presents dramatic readings by acclaimed actors of scenes from ancient Greek plays for audiences of frontline medical professionals to open up powerful dialogue about difficult subjects, fostering a sense of connection and promoting health-seeking behavior. By presenting ancient plays to doctors, nurses, EMTs, respiratory therapists, and the frontline community about emotionally-charged, ethically complex situations, Theater of War Frontline aims to create a brave space for open, candid dialogue and reflection, fostering compassion, a renewed sense of community, and positive action.
-
Pandemic & Climate CrisisPoetry for the Pandemic
Using poetry as a catalyst for an Intergenerational performance and discussion during the Covid-19 pandemic.
-
Consent & Sexual ViolenceTape
Tape 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.