Classical Tragedy in Contemporary Violence: Writing, Devising, and Performing "Sacred Soil"

Abstract

"Sacred Soil" is a play about a young man's search for redemption. It poses the question of whether or not we can be redeemed by violent means. It is the story of the young man's struggle to make sense of the violence that is around him and a part of him set against the backdrop of the harsh and beautiful North Dakota landscape. This backdrop provides a mirror for the complexities and paradoxical truths at play in the human condition, revealing the fundamental tragedy within contemporary violence. Echoes of Classical Greek tragedy are heard throughout the play, as the young man discovers his fate, and the question of redemption is left unanswered.