Aeschylus, if thought about at all in our 21st-century lives, is remembered as the father of tragedy. With our contemporary obsessions focused on the scroll and the click, we live in the fast lane, where multitasking usurps tragedy, which could be anything from a bad restaurant experience to a botched manicure, a bad day at the office, or a distant war or famine so far-removed it elicits sympathy, but not empathy. Yet, Aeschylus’ ancient dramas — like Shakespeare’s — remain relevant, even revelatory, by peeling away at family dramas and relational discord among not mere mortals but Greek gods and kings. In ancient dramas, poor or ordinary folk weren’t considered the stuff of drama, let alone tragedy. Yet, Aeschylus’ The Suppliants, likely first performed around 463 BCE, features women — in the original, 50 of them! — pleading for their freedom, their agency, their lives, in the face of forced marriages to 50 brothers, actually their cousins, who were sons of Aegyptus. California-based playwright, lyricist and screenwriter Meghan Brown aims to give voice to women — who are often unheard in classical drama. Her reimagining of the The Suppliants as The Pliant Girls modernizes this ancient choral — as in Greek spoken-word chorus — drama for a generation immersed in present-day feminist issues related to sexual abuse, PTSD, disordered eating, body positivity, addiction, same-sex coupling, and the like. Her adaptation, presented by Theatre Prometheus in association with Nu Sass Productions through November 9, unfurls in a swift 100 minutes while honoring both ancient theatrical tenets as well as relevant issues of today. Scene from ‘The Pliant Girls.’ Photo by Sarah Straub. The original script cast 50 sisters and their 50 forced suitors; Brown has streamlined this to five of each, along with their father, played by the five men together speaking in full unison. The patriarch is formed with one actor playing the head, flanked by two male actors who serve as his arms and two others as his lower extremities, recalling the choral roots of ancient Greek theater. We initially meet the sisters at the height of their distress — clad in muddied and torn dresses and tennis shoes or combat boots — pleading, “Help us! Save us!” — their arms outstretched to the audience. Soon enough, this chorus of sisters, who beseech, “You don’t know what it was like for us …,” becomes unique individuals, young women with specific struggles. Wild-child Kay, Alex Aspiazu, with full tattoo sleeves and combat boots, serves as the primary explainer for her sisters, introducing the audience to the narrative. We met Courtney, the lead sister, played by Emma Wesslund with officious leadership qualities. Philomena, a redhead who has quietly planned for her future — Madeline Marie imbues her with quiet determination. Leta is the blonde, funny one; Mollie Greenberg takes us on a road to self-discovery as her character opens her heart. And Arianna, also a ginger, suffers from panic attacks and a frail disposition, which Caleigh Riordan Davis uses to highlight her painful vulnerabilities. Each of these women completes their sisterhood, and each embodies a specific aspect of the troubling challenges and indignities that affect women living in a male-dominant society. When it’s time to meet their matches and prepare for their arranged marriages, they have no choice in this man’s world — each sister struggles with her own capacities, but, ultimately, they come together to re-enact Aeschylus’ original tragic ending — choosing death for their proscribed grooms, rather than submitting to a life of servitude. That sets them adrift as outcasts from society. Scenes from ‘The Pliant Girls.’ Photos by Sarah Straub. The Pliant Girls has been attractively staged by Ileana Blustein, who takes inspiration from ancient tropes and Renaissance artwork depicting the classical Greeks. Simone Schneeberg’s set features wooden slats and pallets, draped fishing netting, and hanging glass bottles that, joined by Lex Allenbaugh’s sound of crashing surf, suggest the Greek island of Argos, where the drama is set. In fact, audiences are asked to provide their own messages in hanging bottles on the way in or way out of the theater, responding to the queries “What did you want to be when you grew up?” and “What did society tell you you could be?” For me, the prodding question as I left the theater was “Where do you find your sisterhood, your support, your people? And, what have you done to effect necessary change for a better future?” Whatever questions The Pliant Girls causes you to ponder, you likely won’t walk out of the theater without thought-provoking ideas to discuss. Running Time: 100 minutes, no intermission. The Pliant Girls plays through November 9, 2024, presented by Theatre Prometheus in association with Nu Sass Productions, performing at Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center, 7995 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD. Purchase tickets ($30—$10) online.  https://www.nusass.com/pliant COVID Safety: Audiences are asked to wear a mask at all performances. The Pliant Girls Playwright: Meghan Brown Director: Ileana Blustein Assistant Director: Henery Wyand Show Producer: Lauren Patton Villegas CAST Emma Wesslund: Courtney Caleigh Riordan Davis: Arianna Madeline Marie: Philomena Alex Aspiazu: Kay Mollie Greenberg: Leta Max Johnson: Dean Seth Rosenke: Alexander Elgin Martin: Marcus Jordan Brown: Kem Philippos Sourvinos: Claude Evelyn Micacci: Swing Shana Laski: Swing PRODUCTION Technical Director: Eric McMorris Set Designer: Simone Schneeberg Lighting Design: Hailey Laroe Assistant Lighting Designer: Daelyn Funk Sound Designer: Lex Allenbaugh Costume Design: Charlie Vankirk Props Designer: Stephanie Davis Movement Choreographer: Shana Laski Intimacy and Fight Director: Julia Harris Dramaturg: Olivia Wilson Stage Manager: Mercedes Blankenship Run Crew: Bayron Celis and Deacon Withers House Manager: Emmerline Porter Nu Sass Mar-Comm Manager: Hannah Wing-Bonica