Sean Graney has a passion for theater, which he shared with DePauw students the last week of February through a discussion of his current work, "All Our Tragic."
The play, focused on the Trojan War is one of a series of plays that will eventually be built into a 12 hour play.
"Sean's goal is to have a conversation with the audience," Tim Good, professor of Communication and Theatre said. "There will be meals built into the performance to encourage conversation with the audience."
In 1997, Graney created Hypocrites Theater Company in Chicago. Since its creation, he has directed over 30 productions. He has won many awards including two Joseph Jefferson Citation awards. According to Good, his specialty is doing adaptations of Greek plays.
"We knew each other in college," Good said. "I've kept up with his career in Chicago. When I found out about 'All Our Tragic,' I tracked him down, called him up and asked if there was a way colleges could get involved to help him put together this huge show."
Graney's entire work encompasses 36 tragedies. The workshop at DePauw just focused on two of the works throughout the 12 hours of discussion. The group met for three hours Tuesday through Friday during the last week of February to talk and workshop the play.
"He challenges the students in a different way than I do. With him, there are world class expectations and limitless possibility," Good said. "He also can discover things with students that he can't with professional actors."
Graney came to DePauw as part of the Nancy Schaenen Visiting Scholar program through the Prindle Institute for Ethics. Along with the workshop, Graney has also led conversations about the ethics and effects of war with Prindle interns. He is doing similar programs at Lakewood University and Illinois State University.
"A play workshop is kind of a different animal than a normal class; you're really there for the playwright, so he can hear his words outside his head and in other people's mouths," senior Elisabeth Sutherland, a student taking the class said.
Professor Good created the .25 credit class for a variety of students interested in all aspects of theatre. Students like Sutherland are interested in directing, while others were focused on acting and set design.
Sophomore Jessica Maginity took the class because she is a literature major interested in the writing aspects of theatre inspired by literature.
"I wouldn't say I learned specific lessons. Watching him helped me see how much a work changes from before readings to the final production," Maginity said. "It was interesting to see how much he got out of what we had to say."
Graney will be back on campus April 17-19 and has a public reading on the April 18. During Winter Term 2014, there will be a class working on the production and performance of this play.
"For me, Sean's work is great," Good said. "It's different in that it scares me in the way that it will help me grow and learn as well."