This Thursday, November 10th, the Santa Fe Playhouse is partnering with Arroyo Vino for a modern retelling of an age-old tale that has held people captive for hundreds of years, Homer’s Iliad. Buy Tickets Here.
Although this Ancient Greek epic is considered to be one of the oldest works of European literature, it tells a story that touches on topics just as relevant now as they ever were: the never-ending struggles and battles, the heartbreak we experience when we lose a loved one, and the constant hope we hold for humankind to make the right decision. The Santa Fe Playhouse brings the story of the Trojan War to a modern audience. Actor Patrick Osteen plays a wandering bard – or in his own words a “spectator, or a war journalist who is trapped to tell this story [of war], throughout time, as long as war exists.”
Although the focus of this performance is the Trojan War itself, the playwrights include a long list of wars towards the end of the play, starting from the Trojan War and ending with one most recent: the Russo-Ukrainian War. Osteen says “this story is by no means old. It’s right here. We all know who ‘the Hectors’ are. We all know who ‘the Achilles’ are.” As he talks about the effects of war, what we are left with, and how blinding the feeling of rage can be, be it on the frontlines of war or being merely cut off on the highway, we are constantly reminded of our own stubborn submission to our emotions and how fragile our lives really are. Osteen asks us “Do you see?” And indeed we do.
Arroyo Vino is preparing an Ancient Greek-inspired meal for the event. Restaurant and bar manager Hannah d’Erico describes the menu for the night as “family-style food” meant to be shared – she considers this to be true to the Ancient Greek idea of family values and community.
While the meals that will be served at the event are made for the modern palate, there is nothing new about the idea of coming together with our loved ones around a table of food – this is in fact something the Santa Fe Playhouse and playwrights Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare hope to remind us of. Though An Iliad is primarily about the horrors of war, it is also about the beauty of brotherhood and a celebration of life. Arroyo Vino’s menu for the night is appropriate. As we gather to listen to the storyteller, Osteen encourages us to be merry for what we have.
The menu for the night consists of Roasted Beet & Orange Salad, followed by a Grilled Octopus appetizer, and a spread of Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper. For your main course: Lamb Meatballs and Grilled Branzini. And for dessert: a Phyllo Apple Pie. Buy Tickets Here.
Story by Zhansaya Kuatzhan