BOWLING GREEN, O.—A production of Euripides’ timeless play about war and its impact, “The Trojan Women,” will be presented by the Bowling Green State University Department of Theatre and Film Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 26-28.

Performances of the adaptation by Brendan Kennelly will begin at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, with an additional 2 p.m. matinee Saturday in the Joe E. Brown Theatre, located in University Hall on the BGSU campus.

Though rooted in ancient drama, Euripides’ play is just as relevant today as it asks powerful questions about war—those who wage it as well as those who are left to deal with its consequences. “I think the play is about the victims of war: women, children,” says director Hephzibah “Nicky” Dutt, a doctoral theatre major from Orange City, Iowa. “They’re left with painful memories and dreams that have nowhere to go.” But the play goes even deeper than that, Dutt says. “It also shows what happens to a wronged people who are filled with the rage and bitterness of the injustice done to them. They look for a scapegoat. ... and sometimes they find one to pour their rage on. But does that change anything? Does it bring them solace or peace?”

Dutt and the cast have used the lyrical nature of the play’s language to create a linguistically and visually poetic performance, designed to convey the heartbreaking nature of the story in a beautiful and evocative style.

“The Trojan Women” cast includes Alex Bean of Mount Clemens, Mich., a senior film studies/popular culture major; Janell Blanks of Dayton, a senior theatre major; D.J. Gierhart of Upper Sandusky, a senior film production major; Elizabeth Guthrie of Durham, N.C., a master’s degree candidate in theatre; Sadie Martin of Logan, a senior theatre major; Ali Schmidt of Toledo, a senior musical theatre major; J.P. Staszel of Pittsburgh, Pa., a master’s degree candidate in theatre; recent BGSU graduate Carrie Williams of Perrysburg; Brent Winzek of North Huntingdon, Pa., a senior theatre production major; Leigh Yenrick of Rossford, a sophomore musical theatre major, and 6-year-old Bowling Green resident Andelus Star Elwazani.

Hillary Gibson of Holland, a senior theatre major, is the stage manager for the production. Freshman theatre major Sarah Knoke of Dayton and sophomore theatre major Erin Moeller of Livonia, Mich., are assistant stage managers.

Single tickets are $12 for students and other adults, $6 for children under 12, and $5 for senior citizens. Group rates are available. Contact the BGSU Theatre box office at 419-372-2719 for more information or to purchase tickets.

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(Posted February 18, 2009 )