Writer, director and translator Bryan Doerries will present a free dramatic reading of Madness of Hercules, by Euripides on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. in Bucknell’s Weis Center for the Performing Arts. The event is free and tickets are not required.
Hercules is an innovative project that presents dramatic readings by acclaimed actors of scenes from Euripides’ ancient Greek tragedy about an unthinkable act of violence committed by an angry man with an invincible weapon—for audiences composed of concerned citizens, activists, students, and survivors and perpetrators of gun violence, in order to generate powerful dialogue between these communities, fostering compassion, understanding, awareness, and positive action.
Currently artistic director of Theater of War Productions, Doerries is a self-described evangelist for ancient stories and their relevance to our lives today. He uses age-old approaches to help individuals and communities heal from trauma and loss.
During his tenure at Theater of War Productions, the company has presented diverse projects across the United States and internationally. The company uses dramatic readings of seminal plays and community conversations to confront topics such as combat-related psychological injury, end-of-life care, police and community relations, prison reform, gun violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, the refugee crisis, and addiction.
Doerries’ books include The Theater of War: What Ancient Greek Tragedies Can Teach Us Today, The Odyssey of Sergeant Jack Brennan, and a collection of his translations of ancient Greek Tragedies entitled All That You’ve Seen Here is God.