ANCIENT HISTORY GIVEN NEW LIFE IN PETERSON & O’HARE’S
AN ILIAD AT THEATER AT MONMOUTH

Monmouth, Maine – Theater at Monmouth’s Brave New Worlds Season continues with An Iliad adapted by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, based on Homer’s The Iliad translated by Robert Fagles. An Iliad is a modern-day retelling of Homer’s classic poem. The ancient tale of the Trojan War and the modern world collide in this captivating theatrical experience. The Poet recalls the nobility, savagery, and valor of Trojan War battles and warriors, while exploring the human costs of war through the centuries. This tour-de-force adaptation weaves humanity’s unshakable attraction to warfare with the music of the muses, capturing the contradictory conditions of glory and violence with spellbinding modernity, and raises the question: Has anything really changed since the Trojan War? Answer for yourself on Saturday, July 8 at 7:30 PM.

The setting is simple: the empty theater. The time is now: the present moment. The lone figure onstage is a storyteller—possibly Homer, possibly one of the many bards who followed in his footsteps. He is fated to tell this story throughout history. This is a story you may think you know; a classic featuring gods and warriors. Homer’s epic is reborn through the heart of a war-weary poet. Bathed in bravery, blood, and the heat of battle, the telling ravages the Poet every time he tells the tale. But there’s a reason he’s got the job. He may be able to make us understand. Perhaps he could make us stop.

Though the show was presented in the Fall of 2021, Director (and TAM’s Producing Artistic Director), Dawn McAndrews felt the show deserved a second time around, citing that the first time “the pandemic kept audiences from experiencing it to the fullest”. McAndrews continues, “Here we are in 2023, facing continued war across the globe, we decided to bring the play, and Mark Cartier, back to remind us of the years of conflict that have been endured through the ages, since the time of Homer, and the leagues of Poets that have spoken these tales.”

An Iliad features Mark S. Cartier* reprising his role as The Poet. Originally Directed by Bill van Horn, Directed for 2023 by Dawn McAndrews, Set Design by Jim Alexander, Costume Design by Michelle Handley, Lighting Design by Erin Fauble and Sound Design by Scott O’Brien, with Stage Management by Dominique Nadeau*, Assistant Stage Management by Sydney Enthoven, and Props Supervision by Madelaine Foster.

Performance Calendar: OPENING 7/8 at 7:30 p.m.; additional performance dates 8/5 and 8/10 at 7:30 PM; 7/15, 8/2, and 8/12 at 1:00 PM.

Audience Engagement Programs

Post-Performance Discussions. Join us on selected weekend evening performances for Post-Performance Discussions with the cast and creative team. Discuss the critical historical, artistic, and cultural perspectives of the worlds of each individual play. Post-Performance Discussion will take place on the following date: Saturday, July 15 following the performance of The Story of My Life, Saturday, July 22 following the performance of Richard II, Sunday, July 30 following the performance of As You Like It, Saturday, August 5 following the performance of An Iliad, and Saturday, July 29 following the performance of The Importance of Being Earnest.

Tickets, Subscriptions, and Ways to Save. A TAM subscription offers savings and exclusive benefits like priority seating and ticket exchanges. Gold, Flex, General, or Senior Passes are available for purchase, so whether you want a ticket for each show or five tickets to one show, there’s an option for you. Single tickets for the Summer Repertory and Fall Show are $40 for adults, $35 for senior citizens, and $25 for students (18 and under).

Opening Nights are Educator Nights. Educators receive 20% off the general ticket price with a valid photo ID at the Box Office.

Under 30 Rush Tickets. For patrons under 30, $10 Rush Tickets are available for up to 20 audience members at each performance in the season excluding the Family Show and Special Events. Contact the Box Office by email [email protected] or by calling 207.933.9999 after 10 a.m. on the day of the show. Requests made before the Box Office is open will not be processed.

For calendar and reservations, please contact the TAM Box Office at 207.933.9999 or visit www.theateratmonmouth.org.