Theater of War—Treating PTSD with Sophocles
Bryan Doerries has devoted his professional life to putting theater in the service of American veterans. His Theater of War brings noted actors from stage and screen to perform readings of the Sophocles classics Philoctetes and Ajax to military and civilian populations.
“These ancient plays,” says Doerries, “timelessly and universally depict the psychological and physical wounds inflicted upon warriors by war. By presenting [them] to military and civilian audiences, our hope is to de-stigmatize psychological injury, increase awareness of post-deployment psychological health issues, disseminate information regarding available resources, and foster greater family, community, and troop resilience.”
He has performed to thousands of veterans on bases at home and abroad. Doerries published a memoir of his life and work last September, The Theater of War, which will be available for purchase at the event. Reading from Sophocles will be actors Reg E. Cathey, Amy Ryan, and Michael Stuhlbarg. (Cast list subject to change.)
Bryan Doerries has devoted his professional life to putting theater in the service of American veterans. His Theater of War brings noted actors from stage and screen to perform readings of the Sophocles classics Philoctetes and Ajax to military and civilian populations.