Program Details
Overview
A USC and Community Partnership that trains approximately 25 veterans to present innovative public programs based on ancient literature. Led by veterans and assisted by scholars and artists both inside and outside of the veteran community, Warrior Bards will explore four thematic elements: Coming Home, The Idea of the Hero, Ethics in War, and the Dilemma of War. Through these lenses, veterans and scholars will investigate the connections between classical literature and contemporary America as they relate to the issues affecting the veteran community and the broader American public.
Covid-19
Please note, we’ll be following USC Covid-19 protocols. All participants are required to be vaccinated and boosted (if eligible) and must wear surgical grade masks (N95, KN95, KF94) at all times while inside.
Cost
There is no cost to participate. In fact, each veteran will receive a $500 honorarium upon completion of the program. Books will also be provided.
Timeline
The program has been postponed to fall of 2022 - new dates will be posted closer to the time. The below is an example of how we have run this in the past.
Monday, Jan. 10: Application Deadline
Friday, Jan. 14: Final decisions Notification
Feb. 1–Mar. 1: Weekly Play Discussions | Tuesdays @ 7pm
Sunday, Mar. 6: All-Day Creative Intensive
Mar. 31 & Apr. 1: Public Presentations
Workshop Dates / Times
The first group of play discussions will be held on Tuesdays at 7pm for two to three hours. Half will be in-person on the USC campus, the other half will be via Zoom.
A day-long creative intensive will be held on Sunday, March 6th from 11am-5pm on the USC campus.
Two in-person performance presentations are scheduled for the evenings of March 31st (at USC) and April 1st at a TBD off-campus location.
Themes / Readings
(Subject to change)
Coming Home
Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Plautus, Amphitryon
The Idea of the Hero
Sophocles, Ajax
Ethics in War
Sophocles, Philoctetes
The Dilemma of War
Euripides, Hecuba
FAQs
What is a bard?
In civilizations without written histories, poets and singers were the ones to spread thoughts and histories across generations. In ancient and medieval Gaelic societies, the professional storytellers were called bards. William Shakespeare has been known as "The Bard" since the nineteenth century.
What is a warrior bard?
Originally called the Warrior Chorus, this program is based on the function of the chorus in Greek tragedies as a group of players who would comment on the main action. It has grown out of our collaboration in 2016 with Peter Meineck in the original “Warrior Chorus” funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. USC Arts in Action, in partnership with community stakeholders, is sponsoring, for the third year in a row, the first-of-its-kind Warrior Bards, telling stories, old and new, in the public square.
How long is the program?
Seven once-a-week workshops plus two performances on a final week.
What can I expect from the program?
The program will be divided into three phases:
Intensive reading (books/readings will be provided) and discussion of the ancient plays exploring themes of Coming Home, The Idea of the Hero, Ethics in War, and the Dilemma of War.
Preparation of performances based on these plays, ranging from enactment of scenes in the ancient texts to performances of original scripts that reflect the participants reactions to the experiences of war and homecoming based on the Greek dramas.
Performing public presentations using remote technology.
We expect to draw participants both from USC campus and from the veteran community in Los Angeles.
What if I can’t make all the meetings?
Due to the nature of the study and the community that forms over the eight weeks, we require that all participants commit to the full program. We understand if something comes up, but we expect all participants to attend at least 95% of the meetings.
Is there really a stipend?
There sure is! We will provide a stipend of $500 for completing the 8 week program. All participants will be asked to provide a W-9 and a check will be mailed to them upon completion of the program in December.
What about parking?
We will cover the cost of parking when meeting in-person.