The European Union Center at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign will host a virtual performance of "The Suppliants" by Aeschylus, a tragedy about migration and asylum. The performance will include an international, diverse cast, including American, British, and Greek actors. The director Paul O’Mahony and the actors are members of the innovative and acclaimed Out of Chaos Theatre in the U.K. The full program can be found here.

"The Suppliants" by Aeschylus, performed in the late 460s B.C.E. at the Theater of Dionysus on the south slope of the Acropolis, told the story of the Danaids who fled their native Egypt to escape forced marriage. Arriving as refugees in Greece, they supplicate the gods and the king of the city of Argos, seeking a refuge and a new home.

Mirroring closely the laws of Athens’ newly-minted democracy and its time-honored customs of hospitality, the story of the Danaids provokes reflection on how democratic societies deal with foreigners and on collective action to remedy the suffering of others.

Please join us for the performance of an ancient tragedy of migration and lend your voice to decide the fate of the refugees, when the king brings the question of granting asylum to vote before the citizens’ assembly.

The post-performance discussion features a panel of speakers on the topics of refugees in Greece and the Mediterranean, on federal approaches to U.S. immigration, and on the work of local immigration activists. Do not miss this event and join us in this timely, vital conversation with the panelists and the actors. Please register here.