GLEN RIDGE — Two thousand years after its invention, ancient Greek tragedy remains essential, this year revisited by the Hollywood movie, “The Odyssey.” Attributed to the poet Homer, the original story tells of the travails of a victorious hero, Odysseus, following his involvement in the Trojan War and, afterward, his 10-year journey home.
Fertile, albeit bloody soil, with a multitude of indelible characters, the terrain of the Trojan War has been explored by many artists, including the Mosaic Dance Theater Co., the Glen Ridge troupe dedicated to the dance movements and folklore of the Mediterranean region – the Middle East, North Africa and southern Europe.
In 2022, MDTC premiered, “Troy: Women & War.”
The Trojan War, according to legend, occurred in the 11th or 12th century BCE. It was a 10-year war, horrific for the tremendous loss of life and the destruction of the city of Troy, believed to be located in modern-day Turkey. Oral tradition kept the epic tale alive until about 750 BCE, when the Greek poet Homer wrote down the cataclysmic events of the war’s last year, creating “The Iliad.”
“Troy: Women & War” captured the essence of the Trojan War, through the eyes of its women – how it began, how it ended and the physical, emotional and psychological misfortunes suffered by the Trojan women. This production can be seen again and will be given a one-time livestream on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m.
“When ‘Troy: Women and War’ was produced,” Celeste Varricchio, the troupe’s founder said in a recent interview, “we thought this was an important enough topic to warrant its own documentary, so we created, ‘Sailing to Illium: Exploring the World of the Trojan War.’ It asks, Who was Homer? Did Troy really exist? What was the importance of the gods and the women during the Bronze Age? Epic poetry and Homer are the foundation of Western literature. ‘Sailing to Illium’ talks about Homer and his rendition of the Trojan War. It will be available on our YouTube Channel now through Sept. 12, 2026. It’s a 60-minute episode, which delves into some of the mysteries and cultural ideas.”
There is more from the troupe about the ancient world. A new production has been created.
On Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 17, at 5 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 17, at 3 p.m., MDTC will premiere, at the First Congregational Church, Montclair, “Cassandra: An On-going Tragedy.”
Episodic in nature, the dance production jumps between ancient and modern tragedies, going from the Trojan War to the Viet Nam War’s My Lai massacre, a suicide bombing in Pakistan, the Holocaust, Nigerian kidnappings, the killing of children at Sandy Hook, in 2012, and the 16th St. Baptist Church, in 1963.
“Also, through the voice of Cassandra, the doomed seeress of Troy, who was cursed to see the future, but not be believed, we see what she sees and how humanity cannot refrain itself from repeating the evils brought about by hate,” according to a press release. “And yet, we cannot answer the unspoken question at the heart of the piece: Will we ever learn not to hate? The stories told in this piece, related by fictional characters in historical situations, are presented through live spoken word and dance, with a commissioned score of original music. Extensive use of video, voiceovers and projected images heighten the immediacy of these ongoing tragedies.”
The show, currently in rehearsal, is made possible by funds from the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs, a partner of New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and funding from The Puffin Foundation.
To register with Eventbrite to view “Troy: Women and War” or view “Sailing to Illium: Exploring the World of the Trojan War,” go to the MDTC website.
Photo Courtesy of Gary Heller
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