Bradford Reilly is no stranger to Dallas Theatre Journal as a reviewer nor to the DFW Theatre scene, especially as of late. He's also no stranger to myself, our circle of friends or my immediate family. Before he'd ever reached out, answering a prompted question I posted via DTJ Members on Facebook, I admired his acting ability in Gypsy at Theatre Arlington. The question, which I was using to write a blog was "Was majoring in Theatre worth it?" The answer I received back was detailed, enlightening, and didn't shy away from addressing the real question, "Was it actually worth it?" More significantly, he shared his core philosophy on his artistic process, as well as in his daily living: "Please, do enjoy the struggle." The observation on my part, following his answer: 1. He's an intellectual who has a much bigger grip on reality, Theatre as an art, and Theatre as an art inside reality. 2. His sense of humor, even in his intellectuality shines through. 3. I need to know him-- and I need to hear more of what he has to say!
Much of what has proceeded has become a cornerstone friendship. Perhaps one that I didn't anticipate, but I'm so glad has continued to grow through multiple conversations, a joint collaboration of advice from one another, the occasional trivial disagreement (like whether Apple or Android is better, ) coffee, lunch, birthday celebrations, dog-sitting, kid-sitting (teaching my 11 year old how to play poker and Gin rummy with fake money--no complaints here!) and multiple texts over multiple topics. I've come to trust him and his judgement on pretty much everything, except maybe about Apple being better.
But, more importantly, do I trust him with my voice? Do I trust him to communicate something as personal as the struggles of women, especially in the area of loss and grief? A man writing an all-female play about the female perspective? A man writing for women, on their behalf? He'd better tread carefully. As a woman, one who has fallen victim to many men speaking for me and above me; one who had to deconstruct and reconstruct her Christian faith, following this treatment, I have my limitations. As, I'm sure you would too. His perspective, through my lens, needs must empower me and not aim to conform me; "Aye, there's the rub."
I can count on one hand how many men I trust to ever speak on my behalf. Bradford makes that count. Not only because I know him on a personal level, but because I've come to trust that, whatever it is he's discussing, he's researched it and analyzed it from multiple angels, long before he ever puts it in writing. He doesn't land on an answer lightly or take it for face value. He digs deeper, asks the hard questions and draws the most probable conclusion.
Bradford wears most, if not all of the hats behind this production: playwright, director, producer and founder of DFW's newest Theatre company: InVerse Theatre. It hasn't come without its own struggles, grief and heartbreak. But, it's foundation, from the start, has been about trust built on truth. Here is a glimpse of what he and the women behind TROJAN WOMEN have to say!
Me: Being the playwright, and the director for this production, what have you learned about the script? What challenges or surprises have you encountered?
Bradford: I wrote this script 10 years ago and produced it at the Indianapolis Fringe Festival (where I’m from–proud Hoosier here) in 2016…and I refreshed what I wrote, not completely overhauling it. Many of the ideas and themes I’ve thought about back then are still prescient now…and in the wake of the watching Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, I recall thinking, “Oh…I wrote a line like that in my script!” or used similar imagery. I’m struck by a shared language in retelling these myths and how much of our time these adaptations really are.
As a playwright, I’m not really a fan of directing my own work because I fully believe theatre is a collaborative art form, and the job of the playwright is to create a blueprint for the designers, director, and actors to fill in the pieces. Sometimes, if you want to get your play done, however, you have to self-produce… here I am. I really wanted this show to be done in this place I now call home.
My answer to this reluctancy of being an auteur (to be clear, I am not one) is to work in conversation with my actors. Have a vision, but be flexible to change. Be willing to kill darlings if it doesn't serve the story. The point of this play is to grant agency to these women, after all.
The biggest challenge of being a playwright/director is translating my crazy ideas to people who aren’t inside my head. In the rehearsal process, therefore, we talk in depth about major theatrical moments. We talk through references I use in the script and why, the rhythm of the language, and finding humor in the midst of this tragedy. I ask these women to do crazy and abstract things; We work through how to translate it all into intention and movement so that this fierce but sad play feels urgent and not like a dirge. What surprises me is how much these incredibly talented women take those ideas in stride and are doing some incredible work.
Me: When you considered the cast, what was most important to you?
Bradford: Firstly, I want to say that from the audition process, I could have cast this show three times over. Turnout was incredible, each auditioner made my decision-making difficult…and that is a good problem anyone on the casting side of the table wants.
Every woman who came in to audition for me had one of the monologues from Helen or Hecuba, and then I paired them with another actress to do a scene. I looked for women who had an excellent handle on language, took direction, listened to their scene partner, and came with a willingness to play.
Everything else was out of the actor’s control. Truly, there were difficult decisions…mostly made by what felt right for the story being told.
Me: What would you say to those audience members who are not very interested in Greek mythology? Why should they see the show?
Bradford: This is an ensemble show with an all-female cast where four women are showcasing fierce and daring work. A rarity. Why would anyone miss an opportunity to be in a room to witness that? For as many women in the theatre, there NEEDS to be more for them.
The script is told in modern language, and is very accessible. If the idea of this being an ancient and old story doesn’t interest you… know I took the structure and started from scratch. This ain’t Shakespeare. This ain’t Sophocles.
This is a play about the losers of war and their survival. This is a play about grief and unanswered prayers. This is a play about agency and finding power and hope even when things are hopeless. This is a play about when home becomes something foreign. The myth mines so much of what is pertinent to today, it is worth it for you to come and explore it.
Me: What has this script and its production meant to you? Why is it important to tell this story?
Molly (as Helen): This production is one of the more abstract and modern stagings that I have been a part of, and I love the challenges that it presents. I feel truly honored to be working with this talented group of artists during this process. I have learned so much about myself, about the art form of theatre, and about the consequences of the personal choices people make. I love when writers and directors take a classic story and look at it through a modern lens; that seems to be the trend of plays lately, and I hope it doesn't end anytime soon. It allows for more understanding and connection with audience members. That connection is the most important in any show, but especially with Trojan Women, as we are trying to tell the stories that are harder to listen to. The stories that people don't necessarily want to hear due to the violence and tragedy involved must be told; they must be heard. Those who don't learn history - whether it's true history or myth - are doomed to repeat it; and the repetition of these horrors is continuing today across the globe. Each character processes their trauma differently, and I hope that audiences will be able to connect with at least one of the women through their experiences and choices.
Rhonda (as Hecuba): it’s easy in any conflict to begin to see People as a monolith. This story and this script gives these women back their humanity by allowing them to tell their individual stories of grief, strength, and perseverance in the face of impossible odds.
Kim (as Andromache): This production is a haunting reminder that war does not end when the fighting stops and there are people (in this case, the women) who are left behind to deal with the loss and continued tragedy. It’s a story in the aftermath of war, where the women are stripped of their homes, their futures, and ultimately their ability to make choices about their own lives and bodies. It’s about fighting for the ability to make decisions for themselves. Though it was written thousands of years ago, the same themes ring true today. Art has always been “a mirror held up to nature,” and it’s no different here: people need to look in the mirror.
Octavia (as Cassandra): I wasn't quite clear what the script would be when I auditioned. My interest was piqued to participate in a classical production. Further, with the release of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, it felt a part of a larger zeitgeist. After working with the script, it's even more apparent how relevant this story is today. Exploring themes of victory and loss, the consequences of war, and most importantly, the experiences of the people involved - particularly women not actively engaged in battle, so clearly mirrors global experiences of women today.
Me: How have you explored your character? What has the characterization process looked like for you?
Molly (a Helen): Helen is one of the most controversial characters in literary history, and taking on that role is quite the challenge. With so many different portrayals and descriptions of her, I had to find the ones that spoke to me and aligned with what the other characters in our show believed her to be. I didn't want to play her as a vixen who used her body and beauty to get what she wanted. It feels too much of a male-centered view, which has been overdone with the story of the Trojan War, in my opinion. It's time to give her depth and to see her as a full human with deep emotions and thoughts, not just a prop used to excuse the violent acts of men. I saw a girl who was never given a choice until Paris arrived, so she made the one choice for herself, and it exploded into all-out war. She is filled with guilt, regret, and shame, but she doesn't have the emotional maturity to properly process those feelings, and so she tosses the blame at others whose choices pushed her to choose her freedom. She sees herself as a victim and, in that, seeks compassion and clemency from the other women around her. However, victim mentality and survivor mentality tend to clash as one sees their own strength and the other has either refused to recognize it, or simply cannot see it. While I feel the other women in the play are victims, they have refused the victim mentality and have come through the other side of the trauma as survivors, whereas Helen finds safety in the weakness of her victimization. Being complacent and obedient has been her default her entire life, and the one time she breaks that pattern, it backfires in the worst way, so she has learned that to return to her default is the safest option. Grovel to those with more power, and you won't lose your life.
Rhonda (as Hecuba): I identify with Hecuba in a lot of ways. She is a woman who feels that she must keep it all together for everyone else. She is a pillar of strength and that pressure can be stifling. You can feel crushed underneath it and she shows her cracks, but ultimately chooses resilience and refuses to give up her power. I greatly admire that in her.
Kim (as Andromache): I’m very interested in the tension between Andromache’s vulnerability and her strength. She's terrified, grieving, and powerless in many ways, but she’s also incredibly resilient. She isn’t a warrior or a prophet. She’s someone trying to survive, protect her child, and hold onto hope when everything has been taken from her. In an intimate space like Arts Mission, you can see the characters think. You can all but see their hearts beat. And our hearts are beating.
Octavia (as Cassandra): My initial view of Cassandra was fairly one-dimensional - really only what I'd remembered from grade school: a young woman with the gift of foresight, but often ignored. Although clairvoyance is a fundamental character element, there is more offered in the script to explore: her relationships as a sister, daughter, and one of the defeated who becomes a spoil of the victor. Further, we all play two characters: one male (Talthybius) and one female - with different perspectives and agendas. Though far heavier than I anticipated, building distinct characters also gave me a lot to work with.
Don't miss the regional premier of TROJAN WOMEN, open Sept 17, 2026 and running through Sept 20th! Performing at Arts Mission Oak Cliff in Dallas. Tickets can be found here! I'll see you there!
Natalie
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