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An Iliad

From the touring education wing of the Southwest Shakespeare Company comes this play, based on Homer's epic poem, explores man's warlike nature and questions humanity's ability to change. 90 min

An Iliad, by Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare, based on the epic poem by Homer as translated by Robert Fagles. This 95 minute solo piece consists of one man who witnessed The Trojan War and who tells the story of it both from his own perspective and while impersonating all of the major characters, from Achilles and Hector to Helen of Troy. Throughout the play he both quotes directly from the original poem and comments on the action to the audience. 

Valley actor Clay Sanderson is appearing in his 11th production with Southwest Shakespeare Company, where his other notable roles have included Antonio in The Merchant of Venice, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and Wilkins in Photograph 51. Other local credits include Mary Poppins and Kinky Boots at The Phoenix Theatre Company, True West with Class 6 Theatre, and many productions in and around Chicago, where he began his career. Clay holds an M.F.A. in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University and is the drama teacher at Tempe Preparatory Academy.

For 26 years the Southwest Shakespeare Company has been the standard-bearer for classical theatre in Arizona. Founded on a mission to educate, elevate, entertain, and inspire the communities of the Southwest, SSC has expanded the classical audience in the Phoenix area beyond its home in Mesa to the communities and venues of Scottsdale, Tempe, metro Phoenix, Peoria and more. SSC is now, and always has been, a company guided by the theatrical vision of William Shakespeare: utilizing simple theatricality to cultivate audience imagination and participation in the fundamental human act of storytelling.

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