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Note from co-artistic director, Zeynep Akca
This week we will be presenting a reading of Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides as part of our Fortnightly Reading Series. This is the first time No Exit Theatre Collective is producing a Greek play and we could not be more excited to bring this to our audience. While different in tone from the Shakespeare works we’ve done up to this point, this play still holds space in Western cultural consciousness. The themes explored by Euripides in this text and can say a lot about our world today in the themes Euripides explores.
In addition to this, Ben and I will be continuing our work on further productions and readings, including initiatives to ensure anti-racist action within No Exit Theatre Collective. In the upcoming weeks, we will announce our initiatives in making sure we follow through in anti-racist action as well as more productions and readings. We are committed to change within the theatre community and it starts within our own practices.
No Exit’s Fortnightly Reading Series presents:
Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides
Translation by George Theodoridis
Directed by Ben Natan
Friday, July 17 at 7 PM ET
Run time: Less than 90 minutes, with a Q&A with the artists to follow
Ben Natan, directing:
“It’s always funny when people champion a playwright as being “ahead of their time.” Reading Iphigenia in Aulis, I can’t help but think it is us that are stuck in the past. This is a story that deals with petty war, pride, nationalism and the toxicity of patriarchy: Social and political ills we have fought against for thousands of years. Iphigenia and her tragedy is a personification of what is sacrificed in the name of imperial conflict and vanity. As young people, we are a creative team that has never known a world at peace. I feel this play, at this moment, speaks to the anguish of our generation as inexplicable wars rage on to line the pockets of economies we will never benefit from or secure freedoms that too many of us will never know.”
The cast will feature Nicole Pelini as Iphigenia, RJ Christian as Agamemnon, Heidi Tolson as Klytaimestra, Ben Pratt as Menelaos, Noah Barson as Achilles, Daniel Cabrera as Old Man/Chorus, Claire Tumey as Messenger/Chorus, Tessa Ramirez-Keough, Swing. Technical Directed by Zeynep Akca, co-artistic director. Script managed by Caity MacNeill.
No Exit Announcements
We’re happy to tell you about how we’ve been expanding our team. Recently, we’ve brought on Caity MacNeill as Script Manager, and Ryanne Salzano as Editorial Director.
Caity MacNeill, script manager
“As script manager, my job is to highlight the director’s vision of the text while cutting the text down. I also help the cast if they have specific questions about the text while rehearsing.”
Caity MacNeill is an actor based in LA. She graduated from Hofstra University where she received her BFA in Theater Performance. She was most recently seen in NETC’s production of Much Ado About Nothing as Hero. When she’s not acting, she’s most likely watching a horror movie with her partner, Matthew, and their two cats.
Ryanne Salzano, editorial director
“As editorial director, I’ll be writing press releases, covering social media, and writing our email newsletter — this very SubStack! I also serve as our dramaturge while we develop new works.”
Ryanne Salzano is a journalist and editor who recently graduated from Eugene Lang College at The New School with a BA in Journalism + Design. She has three years of experience on the editorial board for her college newspaper, The New School Free Press, including one year as editor-in-chief. She originally wanted to be an actor, but proved to be so good at journalism that she settled for dating one. Her theatre experience includes a lead in Tottenville High School’s production of Twelve Angry Jurors, and a brief internship at Shakespeare in the Parking Lot. She is excited to join the team at No Exit and is glad to expand her ongoing collaboration with Ben.
Organization we’re supporting this week
The creative team for each show selects an activist organization to support.
Ben Natan on why we’re selecting the Zakat Foundation of America.
“For this show, 20 percent of the tips will be given to The Zakat Foundation of America. Zakat is a Muslim-run organization that is currently providing critical resources to communities across Yemen.
Iphigenia in Aulis is a play that explores the personal costs of nationalism and imperial war. Yemen has been under siege for years and is experiencing an unspeakable human cost at the hands of aggression from Saudi Arabia, the United States and a coalition of other Nations. We hope that this play shows us what’s at stake, while raising awareness of the situation in Yemen.”
The rest of the tip jar will be split equally among contributing artists on the project.
IN THE WORKS:
The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Caitlyn McCain
Run time will be less than 90 minutes, as with all shows in our Fortnightly Reading Series.
Caitlyn McCain is a resident director at No Exit Theatre Collective. Her previous work with us includes directing Twelfth Night and playing Ophelia in our production of Hamlet.
Caitlyn McCain, directing:
“I am particularly excited to direct The Importance of Being Earnest because it contains two of my two favorite things: high comedy and fancy hats. My hope is that this reading is a total oxymoron of grounded exaggeration! I want each character to be so solidly un-solid in their convictions that you can’t help but laugh at and with them. But more than anything, my hope is that the actors and audience will have way too much fun living in the wild world of Mr. Wilde!”
Items of Recommendation
Zeynep Akca, co-artistic director, is reading…
Stamped from the Beginning by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
Revolution for Dummies by Bassem Youssef
Ryanne Salzano, editorial director, is reading…
Manufacturing Consent by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky
America Is Not the Heart by Elaine Castillo
Ben Natan, co-artistic director, is reading…