Amidst all the activities taking place this fall in the Arts Department, the play “Troy Women,” directed by Tracy Ginder-Delventhal, stands out as one of the PMAC’s main productions. The play, which will be showing on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of November, tells the story of the women of Troy after the city’s fall. Karen Hartman, a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, wrote “Troy Women” ten years ago. The play modernizes the Greek playwright Euripides’ “Trojan Women,” which premiered in 415 B.C. The characters go through emotional changes as they adapt to the new-found difficulties in their lives.
A talented cast of twenty young actors attend rehearsals every day to master their characters and work to put together an unforgettable show. A member of the chorus, Ophelia Snyder ’10, said, “At this point in rehearsals, it is a process of blocking scenes and learning beats. Tracy’s main focus is to encourage us to connect and become one with our character. The atmosphere is very laid-back and easy-going. Rehearsals are intense, but in no way are they dreary.” Another member of the chorus, Alicia Vasquez ’11 said, “The cast is so friendly. I am 100% pleased with the theater program at Choate.”
Ginder-Delventhal thinks that the play will force people to investigate their feelings about war. She finds the cast of “Troy Women” refreshing to work with. Tracy loves observing the actors’ outlook on the whole process, as many of them are relatively inexperienced. Rehearsals are going well and the show is on its way. The set is expected to play a vital role in the play, symbolizing and reflecting the motifs of the story. The tech work is done, and what is left is fine-tuning. For instance, one of the elements of Greek theater is the use of a chorus - Ginder-Delventhal’s challenge now is to figure out how to use her twelve-member chorus in a new, more modern, way.
With rehearsals underway, actors transforming into their characters, and an ambitious vision turning into reality, “Troy Women” will be front and center for performances next month.
Allie Huttler ’11 and Molly Renehan ’11 contributed to the reporting for this article.
Cast members of “Troy Women” read lines during a rehearsal. The cast consists of seventeen women and three men. PHOTO/Jesse Brent ’09
