Santa Fe Playhouse Raises The Bar With An Iliad

In the midst of dinner, a wandering bard strolls into the restaurant to tell a wondrous story of war. In this retelling of Homer’s epic Iliad, a world-weary poet tells a wrenching, timeless tale of the Trojan War, of bravery, bloodshed, and the heat of battle. Santa Fe Playhouse, in collaboration with North Carolina’s Rhinoleap Productions, presents An Iliad, written by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, at five local restaurants and bars, over three weeks in October and November 2022.

An Iliad was first performed in 2012 at New York Theater Workshop. Rhinoleap’s version stars Patrick Osteen and is co-directed by Kelly Maxner and Jeremy Skidmore. “One of the reasons to set this in a bar or restaurant is that when these stories were told in history, they were told in taverns,” Osteen says. “It’s so much easier to talk about these horrors in a bar. When we’re all in the same space, the war story is a human story.”

Running approximately 90 minutes, without an intermission, the performance schedule begins at 7 p.m., Saturday, October 29, at La Casa Sena. Tickets are $27 through Santa Fe Playhouse, or at the door. The scene shifts to Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery, at 7 p.m., Tuesday, November 1, and Wednesday, November 2. Tickets are $27 through Santa Fe Playhouse, or at the door.

A week later, the performances continue, first at 7 p.m., Tuesday, November 8, at Coyote Den. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $115, including dinner. Tickets can be purchased through Santa Fe Playhouse. The next performance is at 6 p.m., Wednesday, November 9, at El Nido, featuring a special Prix Fixe Mediterranean Dinner. Tickets are $125 for dinner and drinks. Tickets can be purchased through El Nido.

The final performance will take place at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, November 10, at Arroyo Vino, featuring an Ancient Grecian-inspired, family-style Prix Fixe Dinner. Tickets are $125 and can be purchased through Arroyo Vino.

In his review of the original production for the New York Times, Christopher Isherwood writes “Homeric specialists should be warned that this is not simply a condensed recitation of the poem, but a retelling that emphasizes contemporary vernacular over poetry. Although the narrator throws out snatches of verse at moments of heightened drama, and occasionally even bellows a few lines in the original Greek, most of the story is rendered in casual contemporary language that puts both mortals and gods on our own level.”

Patrick Osteen lives in Asheboro, North Carolina. He is a co-founder and associate artistic director of RhinoLeap Productions. He teaches acting, puppetry, movement, and improvisation to high school students, and performs all over the United States including the international tour of Cirque Du Soleil’s Toruk and the Broadway National Tour of War Horse.

Jeremy Skidmore has directed, produced, and/or taught all over the United States and across five continents. He joined RhinoLeap as Artistic Director in 2017. Kelly Maxner has created distinct works across America and for many different companies around the globe. A specific theme for Kelly’s creative work involves Kenetic Collaboration and Expressive Gestural Movement.

For more information on Santa Fe Playhouse’s production of An Iliad, visit the website.

This article was posted by Jesse Williams

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