Icons/Idols: Irene

The unlikely story of a child bride who ascends to the heart of Byzantine power. Harboring a treasonous secret that marks her as the enemy of her husband and son, Irene must finally choose her side in the iconoclastic wars. With a haunting score inspired by Byzantine Chant, and featuring the voices of ten women and non-binary performers, ICONS/IDOLS: IRENE is a sweeping story of ambition, sacrifice, and the struggle to make something new out of a shattered world. A twelve-episode musical audio narrative by the Byzantine Choral Project.

Written by Helen Banner. Composed by Grace Oberhofer. Featuring Hilary Asare (Narrator), Iris Beaumier (Cyra), Isabella Dawis (Constantine VI), Hannah Eakin (Constantine V), Julia Izumi Court), Grace Oberhofer (Court), Lukas Papenfusscline (Staurakios), Shanta Parasuraman (Megaris), Yael Shavitt (Leo), and Kay Weber (Irene). Music Direction by Robert Frost. Audio Engineering by Nathan Leigh. Sound Design by Grace Oberhofer and Nathan Leigh. Featured Foley Artist Nicole Orabona. Produced by Emily Caffery.

ICONS/IDOLS: IRENE was adapted from a stage play to a podcast in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and recorded under a SAG-AFTRA Collective Bargaining Agreement. Its development has received support from OPERA America, New York Council on the Arts, The New Ohio/IRT Archive Residency, The Tank, and New Georges. An excerpt of ICONS/IDOLS: IRENE was shared with live audiences at New Ohio Theatre in May 2021 in the immersive sound installation ICONS/IDOLS: IN THE PURPLE ROOM.