WELCOME TO
THE JANEIAD – PRE-SHOW
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1. ABOUT THE PLAY
Jane kissed her husband goodbye as he left for work.
The date: September 11, 2001.
He never came home.
That day, Jane was reading the classic story The Odyssey, and she now finds herself holding hope for her husband's return – just like Penelope did for her husband Odysseus.
As Penelope clings to hope, Jane holds out for a miracle. Will their stories connect across time, and will the miraculous unite them?
The Janeiad invites you to ask yourself: Do you believe in miracles?
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
The play’s title is inspired by the titles of many Ancient Greek epics:
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iad = the story of ____
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Example: Ilion (ancient name for Troy) + iad (the story of ____)
= The Iliad (the story of Troy)
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Therefore, Jane + iad = The Janeiad (the story of Jane)
JANE + IAD =
THE STORY OF JANE
2. WHEN + WHERE
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – The play opens in Jane’s brownstone apartment in Brooklyn, where much of the action takes place.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 – A critical date in the play, this is the day Gabe disappears.
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The play has various scenes that take place over twenty years in Jane's life. Jane's story reflects Penelope's, who waited twenty years to reunite with her husband in The Odyssey.
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SCENIC DESIGN
Scenic Designer Michael Locher brings this world premiere production to life by combining elements of a Brooklyn brownstone apartment with Greek ruins and architecture. See how they come together in the design rendering below.
A rendering is a final visualization that shows how a project might appear in reality. Renderings are usually created with software that produces hyperrealistic images that help the designers, directors, and actors bring the play to life.
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BROOKLYN BROWNSTONE EXTERIOR & INTERIOR
RESEARCH BY MICHAEL LOCHER – ALLEY THEATRE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN
GREEK RUINS & SCULPTURE
SCENIC DESIGN RENDERING FOR THE JANEIAD
BY MICHAEL LOCHER – ALLEY THEATRE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN
3. WHO'S WHO
In this play, three actors play all of the roles. Read the descriptions below and click on each photo for the actor's bio.
JENN HARRIS
Jane
Jane – "A woman who got stuck"
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Lives in a brownstone in Brooklyn, and is reading The Odyssey at the top of the play
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Graduate of Harvard and taught English for a while
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Struggles with grief and loss after her husband Gabe's death on 9/11
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Often dreams of her past, including times with Gabe
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Mother to two boys: Henry and Paul
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Engages in conversations with Penelope and reflects on her life, decisions, and identity
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Waiting for Gabe to return
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Her age is not explicitly mentioned, but she is old enough to have two kids and ages 20 years throughout the play
MIRIAM A. LAUBE
Penelope
Penelope – "A shapeshifter, who plays many characters but is always also herself"
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Appears as various figures in Jane’s life, such as her housekeeper Olga and a friend named Nell
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Reflects on her experiences from The Odyssey and relates them to Jane's life
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Encourages Jane to keep waiting for Gabe, embodying the theme of faithfulness
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At times judgmental, she presents a complicated mix of myth and modern understanding
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Here are some descriptions of Penelope from The Odyssey:
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Penelope is often described as beautiful and virtuous
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Penelope is known for her intelligence and cleverness
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Penelope's defining traits are her patience and loyalty
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DAVID MATRANGA
Gabe
Gabe – "A man in midlife, who died far too young"
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Jane's husband
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Described as a man who died too young
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Appears in Jane’s memories and dreams
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Lighthearted and had a close relationship with Jane
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Worked at the World Trade Center in NYC
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Met Jane during their freshman year of college at Harvard
4. THE ODYSSEY
At the beginning of the play, we see Jane reading The Odyssey. Then we see direct parallels between Jane’s life and what’s happening in the ancient Greek story.
Knowing these key tidbits from The Odyssey will deepen your expereince watching The Janeiad.
5. SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
On September 11, 2001 terrorists hijacked four planes - crashing two into the World Trade Center towers and one into the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The fourth plane, aimed for another target, was brought down by passengers. This day resulted in immense loss and changed the USA forever.
Even though this was one of our country's darkest days, 9/11 continues to bring people together as we process loss and learn how we care for each other in difficult times.
Here are some key things to know about that day and its impact:
1. THE DATE & ATTACKS
WHAT HAPPENED:
The crash on the World Trade Center towers caused both skyscrapers to collapse within hours, destroying surrounding buildings and covering the area in debris. The crash to the Pentagon severely damaged the building. The fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers heroically fought the hijackers and prevented the plane from reaching its intended target, which was believed to be in Washington D.C. These coordinated attacks were part of the deadliest terrorist act in U.S. history, causing widespread devastation and loss of around 3,000 lives.
TODAY:
In response to 9/11, the U.S. government created the Department of Homeland Security and increased security measures, especially at airports, with the formation of the TSA (Transportation Security Administration). Now we must pass through airport security procedures that didn't exist before 9/11, like taking off shoes, removing laptops from bags, and stricter ID checks.
6. YOUR PART IN THE PLAY
The show can't happen without an audience. Watch the video for some great advice on playing your part.
BONUS ACTIVITY
AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE
After watching the video, improvise scenes where you encounter the best and worst audience members. If you create something fun and want to share it, tag us at @alleytheatre on Instagram or Facebook for a chance to be featured on our social platforms.
