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The Oresteia Project
In Aeschylus' The Oresteia, Orestes is put on trial for the murder of his mother. His mother, Clytemnestra, murdered her husband Agamemnon because he murdered their daughter, so that he could win the Trojan War. The play's deeply rooted cycle of violence is fertile ground for heated theatrical debate by students on the issues of justice, mercy, forgiveness, punishment, and revenge. Students work as attorneys, witnesses and jurors as they put a character from the play on trial. Using a combination of textual evidence and creative imaginings, students work together to create a compelling case for their peers and their audience. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, I have to give it to the Prosecution that is one incredible story! They want you to imagine Orestes plotting for years, working through illegal channels to get back in to Argos and destroy the government. They want you to imagine an evil group of enemies trying to seize an opportunity to use this young man who sits before you as the center of a master plan to make us all slaves. And like I said, it's an incredible story. It takes a lot of imagination, because it's not true." |
Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City December 2002: "Your Antigone-In-Progress program has been a strong source of support for many students and I thank you for your tremendous efforts. It is always a pleasure to unite with people and organizations that are committed to improving the quality of life for our City's youth and to enhancing the arts community." |