Mosaic Dance Theater Company dramatizes humanity’s darkest chapters with the Montclair premiere of “Cassandra: An Ongoing Tragedy,” an exploration of war, genocide, and the enduring struggle against hatred.Photo Credit: Mosaic Dance Theater Company
MONTCLAIR, NJ — Dance and theater artists have long dramatized some of humanity’s darkest chapters on the stage, translating conflict, injustice, and atrocities into artistic expression as a catalyst for raising social consciousness and challenging audiences to confront the past, reckon with the present, and envision a more compassionate future.
Glen Ridge-based Mosaic Dance Theater Company (MDTC) embraces this tradition with the world premiere of its much-anticipated new production, “Cassandra: An Ongoing Tragedy” at Montclair’s First Congregational Church from October 16–18.
Rich in emotional intensity and contemporary relevance, this original work by award-winning playwright Ruth Cantrell reimagines an ancient Greek tale as a sweeping theatrical journey across time, connecting tragedies of antiquity with atrocities of the modern world.
Cassandra, the priestess of the Greek god Apollo, possesses the gift of prophecy, enabling her to foresee the future. But when she rejects Apollo’s advances, he curses her so that no one will believe her warnings, condemning her to witness impending catastrophes without the power to prevent them.
Like Odysseus on his epic voyage in Homer’s “The Odyssey,” Cassandra embarks on a harrowing journey of her own. Yet her quest reaches far beyond the confines of ancient mythology, tracing hatred and cruelty across generations and exploring their mythological origins through the story of Pandora’s box.
Moving fluidly between the mythological world of the Trojan War and the devastating realities of modern eras, the production’s expansive dramatic tableaux spans kidnappings in Nigeria, suicide bombings in Pakistan, and massacres in South Vietnam to the Holocaust, the school shooting at Sandy Hook, and the bombing of Birmingham, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. The play also explores the flight of people escaping war-torn El Salvador and the anguish of an imagined domestic sexual assault.
Through the eyes and voice of Cassandra, the doomed seeress of Troy, audiences confront a disturbing and enduring truth: humanity continues to repeat the atrocities of its past, seemingly unable to break the cycle of hatred that fuels them. As the stories unfold, one haunting, unspoken, and seemingly unanswerable question reverberates throughout the production: Will we ever learn not to hate?
Reflecting on the timeless relevance of Cassandra’s story, Cantrell explained, “I wrote the play to give Cassandra a voice to tell her own story — a story that is filled with trials and tribulations, not unlike people living in today’s world, or those heroes in ancient Greek mythology.”
Unfolding through fictional characters placed in historical circumstances, these narratives are brought to life through a compelling interplay of spoken word, dance, and an original commissioned musical score. Video, voiceovers, and projected imagery deepen the emotional impact, enhance the immediacy of these recurring human tragedies, and underscore their continued relevance.
For MDTC, dance theater serves not merely as a medium of artistic expression but as a catalyst for social awareness, translating real-world atrocities into movement, gesture, and metaphor. By bringing these painful histories into the theatrical spotlight, the company aims to ensure that such suffering is neither forgotten nor relegated to the distant past.
“These horrors disappear from the front page after their first sensational headlines, yet they continue to plague society,” said Mosaic’s founder and Producing Artistic Director Morgiana Celeste Varricchio. “We must continually keep these horrors in front of us and allow Cassandra's final voice of Hope to move us forward and inspire us better.”
Varricchio directs the production, featuring choreography by Samara Adell and music by Michael V. Ficocelli. An ensemble of 11 performers brings this world premiere to life, weaving together movement, music, and dramatic storytelling in an exploration of humanity’s enduring capacity for cruelty — and its equally vital capacity for hope.
Based in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Mosaic Dance Theater Company is dedicated to the dance and folkloric traditions of the Mediterranean region. Its original dance, theater, and educational programs celebrate the rich cultural diversity of North Africa, the Middle East, and southern Europe. The dances and music, stories and myths, and history and legends of these regions serve as an enduring wellspring of inspiration for the company’s creative vision.
Founded in 2003, MDTC has earned critical acclaim for its artistry and authenticity, both in developing original works for its repertory and in meticulously researching their cultural origins to preserve historical accuracy and integrity. The company tours nationally, performing at arts venues, universities, schools, and community institutions. Its contributions to the performing arts have been recognized by the Sunshine Award, NARAS (the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences), and the United Nations.
The company is led by Morgiana Celeste Varricchio, founder and Producing Artistic Director, and Samara Adell, Artistic Director for Dance.
This program is made possible through funding from the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and The Puffin Foundation.
Performances and reservations:
Performances take place Friday, October 16, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, October 17, at 5 p.m.; and Sunday, October 18, at 3 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 40 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair, New Jersey 07042. Each performance concludes with an artist talkback, offering audiences an opportunity to engage more deeply with the work and its themes.
Admission is free, and advance reservations are strongly recommended. Reserve tickets at https://tinyurl.com/CassandraOct. For additional information, visit https://www.mosaicdancetheaterco.org/.
Award-winning NJ-based author Nancy Burke is TAPinto’s Culture Correspondent.