African Origins
"Memnon" Webinar Teaching Resources
From an NCLG -ACL collaboration:
Receptions of Mythology; Adjusting the Lens
Embedded Files
A webinar (Jan. 2025) featured an interview with internationally acclaimed playwright Will Power, the author of Memnon, an exciting new play centering on the important role of the Ethiopian King Memnon in the Trojan War and a second interview with the Classical Theater of Harlem's Associate Artistic Director Carl Cofield, who has directed numerous classic dramas. This play was premiered by the CTH at The J. Paul Getty Villa Museum's Greek Theater in September, 2024 and is headed for further production. Below are resources and various suggestions for teaching applications from The Getty and from teachers who have incorporated this Greek Theater performance into their classroom curriculum. Also included are references to Memnon in literature and art and ways to incorporate more diverse characters from myth and legend into curricula from the webinar planners which can be used with students at different levels. This Memnon story also offers topics for classroom discussion that are still relevant today, such as issues of personal identity, obligations of family and allies, and compromise and diplomacy versus war.
Memnon: New Play Revitalizes Ancient Story
This is a 2025 NCLG-ACL Webinar featuring powerful interviews with playwright Will Power, Classical Theatre of Harlem Director Carl Cofield followed by two teachers who discuss some methods and resources. This webinar was an NCLG-ACL collaboration, organized by Katie Robinson and Andrea Craig Sansone. Other collaborators were Serena S. Witzke and Marisa Alimento.
The Memnon Webinar: Hear the recording!
NB: This is very large .MOV file, so it may take a few minutes longer to load and begin.
The Memnon Story and Receptions Post Webinar Resources
These resources are a work in progress. We have been gathering links and exploring texts and websites for several months and plan to continue this work. We invite you to consider sharing and collaborating with us! Please do bookmark this page and return in the future to see updates on new materials and opportunities for discussion.
Recommendations for Exploring Memnon: The Play and the Hero
To fully appreciate Memnon—both as a play and as a legendary hero—we recommend the following approaches. By engaging with these diverse resources, you can develop a rich and well-rounded understanding of Memnon’s profound cultural and educational importance.
We have been collecting resources and entries which fall under several topics, such as listed here.
You might wish to start with our Linktr.ee Memnon4Educators (temporarily accessed below), and then explore further.
Use 5 direct links below or ...
For a summary, see Top Suggestions for Pre and Post Webinar Memnon Resources
**Memnon in Art: A Gallery Walk of Selected Artworks, a new webpage with easy to read previews of basic art information and interpretation for classroom/student use. Explore captivating images and artistic representations of Memnon, spanning time - from antiquity to a few more modern interpretations. These visuals bring the hero and his legacy to life. Some entries include short slide decks or a video to show during class.
**Student Centered Resources, a folder in ongoing development....Check out some handouts with excerpts from canonical literature that mention Memnon or are themed on Memnon, Tithonus and Eos. Be inspired by creative and thoughtful student projects that could accompany a Memnon unit of study, or help teachers include Memnon in other Myth units/projects. These samples show how others have connected with the material in meaningful and imaginative ways.
**Scholarly Research, for Teachers: Dive into some academic articles and studies that examine Memnon’s role in mythology, literature, and history. These resources highlight his lasting impact and relevance across cultures, and touch on some unique or new perspectives. This is a collection in progress and we reference other scholar's work with all due respect to their commentary on Memnon.
** Check out these video clips and the full Getty performance program. Discover more about the actors, the dynamic performances and the insightful analyses of Memnon through curated video clips. These provide an exciting window into the dramatic portrayal and thematic richness of the story. Classical Theatre of Harlem shared these clips and the full Getty performance program which includes many comments from those involved in both production and performance.
** Five Recommended Quick Links about the (Art)History of Memnon and the Getty Villa Memnon Performance: (See especially #1-3) Access a thoughtfully curated selection of online resources, offering valuable context about the play, created for our Memnon Webinar by Dr. Shelby Brown, a J. Paul Getty Museum Education Specialist for Academic and Adult Audiences at the Getty Villa. Investigate teacher curated resources that will inspire your classrooms! You are sure to become fascinated by Memnon’s mythological and historical background, and contemporary perspectives on his significance!
Please collaborate with us to help us grow this resource bank, especially by sharing classroom content, plans, activities and slides. We are also planning a collaborative gathering this summer at ACL Institute!
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