The Oresteia

Boston University School of Theatre presents The Oresteia originally by Aeschylus, adapted by Ellen McLaughlin. Directed by Shalee Cole Mauleón.

The Oresteia is based on the three plays by Aeschylus—Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers and The Eumenides. They are among the oldest plays in the Western canon and are the only surviving trilogy from the ancient Greek theatre. Due to the epic nature of the story and length of the original text, The Oresteia is rarely performed in its entirety, but McLaughlin’s version of the trilogy has been adapted into one sleek and fast-paced evening of theatre with a modern resonance.

The Oresteia concerns the House of Atreus. The arc of the story begins with Agamemnon’s slaughter of his daughter, an act committed in the name of martial duty and pious sacrifice, but deemed unforgivable by his wife, Clytemnestra—one of the most primal and psychologically complex figures in all of literature. Her act of vengeance in turn sets in motion once more the bloody cycle of that family’s history. The events that follow cast a harsh and penetrating light on any assumptions we like to make about civilization and the nature of human justice.

What does history demand? What is justice? What do we owe each other? The Greeks ask all the toughest questions. (ellenmclaughlin.net)

The Oresteia runs at BU's Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre April 17 - 26, 2026. Tickets available at the link below!