Director's Note
Payne Banister
Grief is a messy thing. Born from a significant loss, it latches on and lingers; it is difficult to process and move on from. In Iphigenia and Other Daughters, each character perpetually mourns something: the sacrifice of a daughter, the murder of a father, the imposed societal detachment of women, the loss of self, and the isolation of safety. As a meditation on grief, this play poses questions about the sorrow, waiting, cycles of violence, the weight of witnessing, and memory as characters hold onto, and at other times, question their recollection of violent events.
When I first read Ellen McLaughlin’s adaptation of this tragic story, I was immediately drawn to her emphasis on the women in the House of Atreus. One of the early motivations for this project stemmed from my discovering Iphigenia’s story for the first time. I had read and watched variations of Electra, and knew about Orestes, but admittedly, I had not heard of Clytemnestra’s other daughters. As I began my research and read versions of the source materials from which McLaughlin draws (Sophocles’ Electra, and Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis and Iphigenia in Tauris), I could not help but notice how crowded they were with men who made decisions on behalf of women. Aside from Orestes, this play is devoid of men. Throughout this process, we discussed what it means for this show to be driven by the voices of women and what it might reveal about grief, the effects of violence and men, and whose history bears remembering.
As we near opening this play, I’ve been reflecting on how, as in Iphigenia and Other Daughters, so much of our contemporary moment is drowning in violence and pain, and how it’s possible to lose hope. While so much of McLaughlin’s play focuses on loss, it makes space for a glimmer of hope that healing is possible. That glimmer of hope has resonated throughout this process. The actors, designers, assistant directors, stage managers, and our crew have been an absolute dream to work with. They’ve offered ideas and shown up for each other when we’ve encountered challenges. This has been one of the most rewarding group projects I’ve had the privilege to work on, and I’m thankful to make my directing debut with this team. Our process has been productively messy, and now, we invite you to sit in the mess with us. Thank you for being here with us and bearing witness to the work we’ve created.
The show will run November 14-21, 2025, at the University of Pittsburgh's Charity Randall Theatre. ASL interpretation will be available during the November 16 performance, and a relaxed performance for audiences who prefer a more sensitive sensory experience will be held on November 21. You can purchase tickets here.
You can also join the Dietrich School's Classics Department as they kick off the eve of opening night with a Q&A session: Greek Tragedy Now! lead by Greek tragedy scholar Dr. Amy Pistone from Gonzaga Univeristy! The event will take place at 332 Cathedral of Learning on Thursday, November 13 from 6:00-7:30 p.m.