Synopsis:
Longing for a lost love connects Jane to Penelope. While Penelope waits for Odysseus to return from the Trojan War, Jane’s husband was lost to 9/11. Penelope kindles an eternal hope for her husband’s return, yet Jane is counting on the miraculous for her reconciliation. Do you believe in miracles?
Artistic Statement: I want to thank the Edgerton Foundation for its support of our production of The Janeiad by Anna Ziegler. Having this extra week of rehearsal has proved incredibly helpful for the whole team but especially for Miriam Laube who plays ten different roles. It has been such a luxury to have this time months before rehearsals begin to carve out what makes each character different and to start to be able to realize them long before our originally scheduled rehearsals start.
Anna Ziegler is an important and prolific American playwright who has had productions at major theaters across the country and in NYC including The Roundabout, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Old Globe, Seattle Rep, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and the Geffen Theatre. While there are many plays that deal with the direct aftermath of the terrorist attacks on 9/11, The Janeiad is a rare look at a widow (Jane) 20 years after the event focusing on how it shaped her life and how she longs to be reunited with her dead husband. The epic nature of 9/11 is fused with the epic of Homer's Odyssey with Penelope coming into Jane's life and helping her to wait 20 years for her husband just as she waited for Odysseus. The play is full of humor, poetry, and longing and is an important contribution to the American Theatre. We are so grateful for Edgerton's support in helping us realize this world premiere. – Rob Melrose, Alley Theatre Artistic Director