November 6, 2026 - November 22, 2026
by Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare
directed by Maureen Porter
CoHo Theater - 2257 NW Raleigh St, Portland, OR 97210
“An Iliad is pure theater: shocking, glorious, primal and deeply satisfying.”
—Time Out New York
An empty space. Enter the Poet. He has a story to tell—one he’s been telling for thousands of years, drifting through countless taverns and across countless stages. He invokes the Muses and fills the empty space with a tale at once grandly mythical and strikingly familiar.
Is this a story of antiquity or a story of today?
Told entirely by two performers, a poet and a musician, Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare’s An Iliad remixes Homer’s tale, bridging the ancient with the contemporary. In turns humorous and tender, violent and harrowing, An Iliad is a vital examination of the human compulsion towards war, a passionate interrogation of the toll war has on our humanity, and a testament to the power and potential of storytelling.
Special Events
Community Access Night– Saturday, November 14
Third Rail is committed to furthering equity, inclusion, and access for artists and audiences. Our Community Access Nights are special Pay-What-You-Will performances that intentionally welcome all people into the theatre doors. We especially invite audiences of marginalized identities—including BIPOC audiences and LGBTQIA2S+ audiences—as well as younger audiences and theatre lovers for whom ticket prices often pose a financial obstacle. Join us for a performance that celebrates our richly diverse community.
ASL Interpreted Performance – Thursday, November 19
For this performance, we will have one American Sign Language interpreter. Please email boxoffice@thirdrailrep.org if you have any questions about this performance.
Talkbacks
Join us after the show for a talkback, following most performances.