La MaMa Will Present THE TROJAN WOMEN PROJECT FESTIVAL This December

On what would have been Ellen Stewart's 100th birthday, La MaMa has announced The Trojan Women Project Festival as part of its 58th season celebrating the centennial of La MaMa's celebrated founder, the late Ellen Stewart. The Festival will take place December 5, 2019 through December 15, 2019 at La MaMa ETC (66 East 4th Street).

The Trojan Women Project Festival is an extraordinary culmination of five years' international exchange and partnerships between The Trojan Women Project and artists in Guatemala, Cambodia, and Kosovo. The Festival will feature performances of a newly-reimagined version of The Trojan Women directed by Andrei Serban that will unite an international cast with artists from La MaMa's Great Jones Rep, as well as workshops, panels, and more.

La MaMa's 1974 The Trojan Women was an internationally acclaimed, groundbreaking production that influenced generations of artists and transformed the way people thought about theater and performance. The creative team was searching for a universal form of communication that could speak to audiences across language and cultural barriers. Using ancient languages: Greek, Nahuatl, Latin, Navajo - Elizabeth Swados and Adrei Serban created a language that belongs to no one and to everyone. In this production with new global collaborators, the Great Jones Rep continues to explore how theatre can be a unique means to address contemporary issues.

The Trojan Women is an old story - the play is more than 2500 years old. But its themes - war, displacement, violence against women and children, genocide - continue to be relevant throughout the world. For this reason, The Trojan Women Project seeks to engage with communities where there is a recent history of conflict, and a desire on the part of these communities to use theater as a means of addressing contemporary issues.

The Trojan Women Project Festival, featuring a newly reimagined version of La MaMa's groundbreaking production of The Trojan Women, celebrates the centennial of La MaMa's founder, Ellen Stewart, the 45th anniversary of The Trojan Women and 5 years of The Trojan Women Project's work in three countries. Over the course of five years, artists in Kosovo, Cambodia and Guatemala have learned the piece in the same way that LaMaMa artists learned - roles were passed on by oral tradition, artist to artist - and then have performed it for communities in their own countries. Bringing these new, international groups to New York City to perform with the original New York artists as a united company is the realization of long-term dream. The Trojan Women cast includes Albanian, Cambodian, Guatemalan, Mayan, Roma, Serbian, and U.S. artists.

Onni Johnson serves as the Director of The Trojan Women Project, Kim Ima serves as the Director of The Trojan Women Project Festival, Bill Ruyle is musical director, Sara Galassini is the assistant music director, George Drance is Director of Training, and Maud Dinand is Director of Community Outreach.

This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Programming includes:

THE TROJAN WOMEN

Directed by Andrei Serban

Composed by Elizabeth Swados

December 6 - December 15, 2019

The cast of The Trojan Women will feature original cast members from the 1974 production: Paul Harris, Onni Johnson, and Valois Mickens joined by Arthur Adair, Sheree V. Campbell, Richard Cohen, Maura Donohue, George Drance, Sara Galassini, Michal Gamily, John Gutierrez, Yael Haskal, Kim Ima, Julia Martin, Mattie McMaster, Adam Parker, Grace Phelan, Eugene the Poogene, Bill Ruyle, Kim Savarino, Shigeko Suga, Yukio Tsuji, Zishan Ugurlu, Perry Yung, and more to be announced, along with artists from The Trojan Women Project in Guatemala, Cambodia and Kosovo.

The creative team will include original set design by Jun Maeda and costume design by Gabriel Berry.

Performances will take place on Friday, December 6 at 7pm, Saturday, December 7 at 7pm, Sunday, December 8 at 5pm (post show Q&A), Wednesday, December 11 at 7pm, Thursday, December 12 at 7pm, Friday, December 13 at 7pm (livestreamed by HowlRound), Saturday, December 14 at 7pm (post show Q&A), and Sunday, December 15 at 5pm with closing ceremony and performances, including interactive live feeds from Guatemala, Cambodia, and Kosovo.

THE FESTIVAL OPENING CEREMONY
Thursday, December 5, 2019 at 4pm

La MaMa Archive, 66 East 4th Street

Kick off the Trojan Woman Project Festival with the opening ceremony featuring songs and remarks by Andrei Serban, La MaMa Artistic Director Mia Yoo, and Onni Johnson, and a toast to celebrate the festival opening!

Free, RSVP encouraged

COFFEEHOUSE CHRONICLES #156:

THE WOMEN OF THE TROJAN WOMEN

Saturday, December 7 at 3pm

Ellen Stewart Theatre, 66 East 4th Street

Moderated by Anne Bogart, Coffeehouses Chronicles #156 will focus on The Women of The Trojan Women, with women from the original company and women who have learned the roles over the years, including artists from The Trojan Women Project's work in Guatemala, Kosovo and Cambodia. They will focus on the characters of the play and the portrayals in this landmark production.

Tickets for The Trojan Women are $25 for Adults and $20 for Students/Seniors.

THE FESTIVAL MUSIC JAM
Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 9PM

Ellen Stewart Theatre, 66 East 4th Street

Performances from Bill Ruyle and musicians from all over the world.

THE INTERNATIONAL COMPANY SHOW
Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 7PM and Friday, December 13, 2019 at 9PM

Ellen Stewart Theatre, 66 East 4th Street

A mix of pieces created by the festival company.

PANELS AND WORKSHOPS

Panel Discussion at Culture Hub

Monday, December 9 at 11am

Artists in Conversation: How we work and ways we collaborate with others

Members of the international company of The Trojan Women Project share their process, tell stories, and discuss how they collaborate locally and globally. Join the conversation in person at the CultureHub studio and interact live with artists in Cambodia, Kosovo and Guatemala with video conferencing technology by CultureHub.

Panel Discussion at Ellen Stewart Theatre

Saturday, December 14 at 12pm

Moderated by Charlotte Brathwaite - A conversation with artists from The Trojan Women Project - celebrating the work in Guatemala, Cambodia and Kosovo over the past five years. Panelists include artists in the festival company and artists in the countries via live feed, in partnership with CutlureHub.

Kids Workshop

Sunday, December 8 at 12pm

Ellen Stewart Theatre, 66 East 4th Street

A workshop for kids ages 6-11 with the festival company.

Workshops at Great Jones St Studios

Monday, December 9 at 2pm and 3:30pm

Two workshops led by The Trojan Women Project Festival Company, drawing on our traditions and exploring new forms.

Workshop at Ellen Stewart Theatre

Saturday, December 14 at 3pm

Masterclass led by the Great Jones Rep Company with the visiting artists from Guatemala, Cambodia and Kosovo, with tickets for participants and observers.

For more information visit: HTTP://LAMAMA.ORG

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