The Greek classics are timeless because they provide insights into our souls, into how we think and why we do what we do. Of course, few of us regularly read or ponder the wisdom of those epic tragedies. But what if they could be made accessible in ways that shed light on the specific challenges of life in the 21st century?  

The results could be amazing, healing, entertaining, and educational—partly by stripping away what we think is so special about our time, focusing instead on what makes us human.

That’s exactly what Theater of War Productions, Bryan Doerries, and a host of actors have been doing with global audiences for almost two decades.  

Six months ago, we recorded this podcast with Bryan, who co-founded Theater of War Productions and serves as its artistic director. We share it again in recognition that Bryan Doerries has recently been selected as a winner of the Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize. The jury honored him for creating brave spaces where art, empathy, and dialogue aim to restore human connection, reimagining the role of culture in public life.

Listen again and let us know what you think. 

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Stay tuned for podcasts from our final prize winners next week.

Find the New Thinking for a New World podcast on a platform of your choice (Apple, Spotify, Youtube, etc.)

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ABOUT OUR GUEST

Bryan Doerries is a writer, director, and translator who currently serves as Artistic Director of Theater of War Productions, a company that presents dramatic readings of seminal plays and texts to frame community conversations about pressing issues, such as mental health, polarization, end of life care, racialized violence, incarceration, gun violence, domestic violence, substance abuse/addiction, the climate crisis, health inequities, sexual assault, disability justice, immigration, and the impact of war on children and families. A self-described evangelist for ancient stories and their relevance to our lives today, Doerries uses age-old approaches to help individuals and communities heal from trauma and loss. Doerries’ books include The Theater of War: What Ancient Greek Tragedies Can Teach Us Today, The Odyssey of Sergeant Jack Brennan, All That You’ve Seen Here is God, and Oedipus Trilogy. Among his awards, he has received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Kenyon College and was named Public Artist in Residence for the City of New York. For more than ten years, he has served on the board of directors for the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the nonprofit organization that administers The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.