Guest Artist
Bryan Doerries
Artistic Director, Theater of War Productions
In Conversation with Ato Blankson Wood
Thursday, December 14, 2023 – 7:00pm
Houghton Hall Arts Community
22 East 30th Street, Ballroom, 2nd Floor
New York-based writer, director, translator and Artistic Director of Theater of War Productions, Bryan Doerries, joins Ato Blankson-Wood and members of The Actors Center on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 7:00pm for an evening of conversation about his journey as an artist and his work at the intersection of arts and community healing.
A self-described evangelist for ancient stories and their relevance to our lives today, Bryan uses age-old approaches to help individuals and communities navigate trauma and loss.
His company, Theater of War Productions, works with leading film, theater, and television actors to present dramatic readings of seminal texts—from classical Greek tragedies to sermons, books, speeches, screenplays, long form articles, and modern works of poetry— to provide a framework for engaging communities in powerful discussions about critical subjects, such as the visible and invisible wounds of war, mental health, substance abuse and addiction, gun violence, the challenges faced by refugees and immigrants, homelessness, the isolation of the pandemic, and the climate crisis.
Theater of War Productions uses a combination of live performance and guided dialogue to help diverse communities address pressing public health and social issues, helping break down stigmas and foster empathy, compassion, and a deeper understanding of complex topics. Over the past fifteen years, more than two-hundred acclaimed actors have participated in the company’s projects, including members of The Actors Center’s Resident Company.
Bryan’s 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, was named Public Artist in Residence for the City of New York, and was recently elected a Hasting Center Fellow.
Hosting Bryan in conversation is Ato Blankson-Wood, a Resident Company member of The Actors Center. Ato most recently played the title role in Hamlet at Shakespeare in the Park. Prior to this, Ato starred opposite Bill Camp and Elizabeth Marvel in Long Day’s Journey Into Night. He originated the role of “Gary” in Slave Play Off-Broadway in 2018, earning a Tony nomination when the play transferred to Broadway. Other Broadway credits include Hair and Lysistrata Jones. Films include Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit, Spike Lee’s BlacKKKlansman, Worth, opposite Michael Keaton, and Peter Hedge’s The Same Storm. Television includes The Good Fight, She’s Gotta Have It, and Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us.