GTA's RAVEN AND THE NIGHTINGALE Artfully Explores Greek Seer's Struggle to Change the Future

In an ancient world rocked with the horrors of destruction and the wrath of the Gods, the remarkable women of the Trojan War fight off madness to save their home and family. The GTA Discovery Series brings to life a lesser known but powerful story of this mythic conflict with The Raven and the Nightingale, an original Greek tragedy by Gay H. Hammond. The production opens April 6-9 at Brenau's Theatre on the Square, 301 Main St. SE, Gainesville.

Patrons will enter the mind of Cassandra, doomed prophetess of Troy. Blessed long ago by Apollo with the ability of foresight, she was then cursed by him so that no one would believe her. Assailed by the destructive power of her visions while trying to navigate their meaning, Cassandra is guided by the ghost of her twin brother Scamandrius and challenged by her fatally beautiful nemesis, Helen of Sparta, as she races to save her family and home before they are all consumed by madness and destruction.

A play of powerful physicality, emotion, and poetry, The Raven and the Nightingale is a part of GTA's Discovery Series, the alternate - and often more experimental - stage frequently featuring smaller-scale professional productions and contemporary scripts. The Gainesville Theatre Alliance is a nationally acclaimed collaboration of the University of North Georgia, Brenau University, theatre professionals and the North Georgia community.

Raven takes audiences back to the mythical Trojan War. For most audiences this brings to mind the great deeds of Achilles, Odysseus, and Hector. Legendary heroes duel onstage in fight choreography not to be missed, but this is not a story about giant armies and a wooden horse.

The names are immemorial, but who are the people underneath? Why are we still telling the story of the Trojan War in the 21st century and what does such an explosive moment in history do to the minds of the people experiencing it?

The play is a unique fusion of old and new theatrical traditions: Raven is a new play, sculpted by the dynamic emerging artists of the Discovery Series to redefine the way audiences see the Trojan War. In fact, "the play isn't really about the Trojan War to me at all, but about the character of Cassandra. I want the play to feel not necessarily 'Greek,' but timeless," said director and playwright Gay H. Hammond.

For costume designer Aimee Johnson, the blurred lines of reality and Cassandra's visions make this work bolder than traditional Greek tragedy.

"Because the play is not specific about whether we are witnessing reality or (visions in) Cassandra's mind, a historical design would (provide) clarity,...where a question for the audience is preferable," Johnson explained. "A recognizable fantasy realm allows the audience to decide for themselves if what they are seeing is real."

Johnson is new to the GTA staff this year as the new Costume Shop Supervisor at Brenau University, making her design debut with this production after working for years with Cirque de Soleil in Las Vegas.

Most importantly, the play gives women a greater say in the events of the War. Director Hammond wanted to explore a personal story that has been neglected through the years.

"The way in which I wanted to delve into the psychology of the characters was not served well by the original works. My Cassandra and my Helen are very different from the women in the 2500-year-old plays and, to my knowledge, there is not a play about Cassandra's twin brother at all," said Hammond.

Re-defining the character of Cassandra is instrumental to Hammond's story. There are other Greek prophets such as Tiresias -- whom audiences may remember from 2015's MainStage production of Antigone -- but Cassandra is different. She sees future and present at the same time and seems powerless to determine her fate in both. Both Cassandra and the infamous beauty Helen become more than just icons, but powerful rivals.

So how is GTA making Greek tragedy fresh and new again? By unearthing a shared humanity between audiences today and the families of history. The Trojan War doesn't seem so ancient when the world today still sees heroic, and possibly tragic, people racing against destructive political circumstances to save their families. GTA's explosive new work dares audiences to empathize with the most extraordinary of characters and spark the potential for imagination- or madness- within us all.

Step into myth and question reality with 7:30pm performances, April 6 -9, at Brenau's Theatre on the Square (301 Main St. SW, Gainesville). There will be a talkback to hear how cast and crew recognized and internalized the characters and story following the Friday, April 7, performance.

Discovery Series performances are free of charge, with general admission seating on a first-come-first-seated basis. Patrons can get vouchers beginning at 6:30pm the night of each performance to guarantee their seats: the theatre doors will open at approximately 7:10pm.

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