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The women of the conquered city await their fates amid the wreckage. Among them: Hecuba, queen of a city that no longer exists; Cassandra, the prophetess who was never believed; Helen, of Troy or Sparta, blamed for the war; Andromache, once a princess, now orphan, widow, mother, and soon to be slave.
As the ships load spoils of war and the Greek army prepares to depart, a lonely young soldier grapples with his own actions when faced with the human suffering of people he has now met, and a profound connection he could not foresee.
A powerful exploration of the consequences of violence and the culpability of witnesses to wrongdoing, laced with questions about the purpose of love and of attempting to pursue hope in the most hopeless of circumstances. Jessie Holder Tourtellotte's urgent new adaptation of Euripides' tragedy gives voice to its characters with tenderness and ferocity — adding gripping pace and stakes to ancient poetic laments, calling out a warning to its audience as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago.
Two acts · Verse tragedy · 95–105 minutes · Large ensemble, flexible casting
"Jessie Holder Tourtellotte's unflinching and raw new adaptation of The Trojan Women is ominous, tender, and heartbreaking. With a palpable love for the women in this play, Holder Tourtellotte renders her characters with electricity and size. This is a big story. Ensemble theatres, schools, and communities will offer their audiences a memorable theatrical event with this harrowing and relevant portrait of the post-war experience."
"This is a play that begs to be heard aloud, on the largest stage possible. Broadway works. So does a bombed-out amphitheater in the middle of a war zone… The Trojan Women is a symphony made for the gods — which is to say, it is a play for us, today."
"A powerful play that does not shy away from the terrible truths presented in the aftermath of war, those who suffer, and those who must bear witness."
“Every word of Jessie Holder Tourtellotte’s adaptation of The Trojan Women has been chosen with great care and artistry. It weaves poetic imagery, dynamic action, and deep emotion into a rich script that respectfully honors the traditional elements of Greek tragedy in a way that is accessible, yet elevated. This powerful piece would provide a cast of actors with meaningful opportunities to explore the compelling world of the play, and its characters.”
The Poetics Theatre Collective.
July 2024
Lake Braddock Theatre · May 2025
Directed by John Tourtellotte. Movement Direction, Intimacy Choreography, Original Music, and Text & Acting Coaching by Jessie Holder Tourtellotte.
"What she’s given us is a PLAY - a real piece of theatre recognizable to a modern audience without departing from the incredibly specific and demanding challenges of an Ancient Greek theatrical piece. The slow march of the tragic poem that Euripides wrote is still present, but instead of a protracted, mournful dirge, it is now filled with that most desperately needed element central to all drama — conflict — as characters fight desperately against the circumstances in which they find themselves. Jessie Holder Tourtellotte has split apart some of the most exhausting speeches given by characters in the original Euripides text, focused them to highlight the most key points of drama and eliminate tangential historical references that are irrelevant to us now. Furthermore, she’s added in characters and language that make this story so much more accessible to the trends and styles of 21st century storytelling."
John Tourtellotte
Artistic Director, Lake Braddock Theatre, and Director of the World Premiere Production
Directed by Denise Blase · Spring 2026
“When first reading, I loved it, I cried. I loved the heightened language and moments that called for movement, I loved the portrayal of Talthybius and the use of the Chorus. Then what an honor it was to direct this work and to tell this story. The play feels more and more relevant. It is my favorite play I’ve directed to date and my students felt the same.”
Denise Blase
Artistic Director and Theatre Instructor, The Bay School of San Francisco
Nathaniel Howard · October 2026
Directed by Nathaniel Howard
"The Trojan Women is a beautiful study of the extent to which people will go for love and survival- even in the face of horrors. Working on this play as an actor, a costume designer, and now a director has opened me up to perspectives I hadn't ever considered, and realities about the world that I wish I would have learned earlier. This play helped form me as an actor and as a person, and stressed to me the fact that the most important person on stage is always the person across from you. I am the actor I am because of Talthybius and Andromache, and if they at any point really existed, I owe them much thanks."
Nathaniel Howard
Director, The Trojan Women, VCU Arts — Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre; Actor (Talthybius) in the World Premiere Production
Jessie Holder Tourtellotte is an actor, writer, and performing arts professional and teaching artist. Her writing has been recognized with wins including the Los Angeles International Screenwriting Competition, placement on the Capitol Hot 100, and semifinalist status in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowships.
She is the producer of Nora Fiffer's feature film Another Happy Day, starring Lauren Lapkus and Carrie Coon, which played festivals including Vail, Beverly Hills International, and Santa Barbara International.
Her work with classical text is extensive — acting, coaching, text work, movement direction, and adaptation for companies and training programs nationwide. She currently serves as a Senior Teaching Artist on Faculty with Acting for Young People, George Mason Community Arts Academy, and The Artists' Initiative.
In the three years since relocating to the DC Area, she has worked in leadership on thirteen full productions and contributed creatively to twenty others locally — including Romeo and Juliet and The Trojan Women — earning consecutive Best Play and Best Musical designations from the Cappies of the National Capital Area. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
The acting and reading edition of Jessie Holder Tourtellotte's The Trojan Women — 6×9 trim, featuring the playwright's note, full production credits, and original cover art by Murphy Finnegan.
Pre-Order Opening October 2026Pre-order link coming soon. Leave your email below to be notified.
The Trojan Women is available for licensing by professional, educational, and community theatre companies. The play features a large ensemble with substantial roles for women, flexible casting, and built-in guidance for movement and music.
For performance rights inquiries including regional, educational, and international productions, please contact the playwright directly.
jhttheatre@gmail.com