←Recommendations of HOMERIDAE

Such a strong, strong play. Identity, authenticity, power, structural and generational racism, and so much more are explored beautifully here. Espinoza has crafted a very recognizable world complete with rich dialogue and vibrant characters laced with poetry that deeply ties this story together. With plenty of humor, heartbreak, and grace, AZ Espinoza challenges us to critically examine that which we accept at face value. Highly recommended.

Thought provoking and lyrical. Each character provokes their own questions and feelings. A sharp play about classics, academia and race.

I absolutely loved HOMERIDAE. The script deftly combines ancient classical literature, modern-day technology, and contemporary collegiate dialogue. Espinoza is dealing with hot-button issues like the pervasiveness of white supremacy in higher education and manages to tackle it with such care, nuance, and deep love for her characters, which are all BIPOC. I would absolutely love to see a full production of this play.

I have always loved Greek mythology, but I never understood classics majors. Why Ancient Greek and Latin? What is in the unabridged term “classical studies”, and what is it’s function? What/Who does it make room for? This play explores those questions, and in doing so, made me care more about classics than I ever have. An amazing read that I would be lucky to see staged one day.

A passionate, lyrical critique of academia that provokes thought and mirth in equal measure, Espinoza stitches her song with the steady and seasoned measure of a lifelong storyteller, asking questions of identity and how we might honor our ancestors without compromising ourselves. Most lovingly, while her characters all have different opinions, she condemns none of them, and they spur each other on in delicious conflict. PRODUCE THIS PLAY. It is a classic that has already waited too long for its time on the stage.

This play is an incredibly thoughtful, loving, incisive exploration of marginalization within academia and particularly within the field of Classics. The way the constructed Meroitic language resounds throughout the text, resounding and ricocheting off of extant Homeric text and commentary, is truly beautiful, both in the sounds that Espinoza has created and in the translation that she provides. The poetry is rich and resonant, as are the characters who speak it, debate about it, and take power from it. Produce this play. I will be first in line to see it, Homer in hand.

From the jump, there is this exploration of black bodies in academic spaces. An adaptation for the contemporary audiences and actors, this piece moves along with heart and an exploration of the parts of academia that often go unnoticed or spoken about. Oh, and it's funny! That is always a plus. Great work, give it a read!

An exquisite piece that is compelling and funny. Espinoza does a magnificent job of exploring structural racism and inequality in academia, scholarship, and anthropology. Nessa and Mac are two powerful central characters who push one another in a propulsive fashion. The multiplicity black identity represented and the way the tensions and realities of interacting with the world at large and the microcosm of academia as a black person are portrayed are nuanced and thorough (Herm and Nessa; Nessa and Mac; Jaylene, Nessa, and Mac). The presence of Homer is both sublime, lyrical, and funny. Produce this!

In a historical moment where the past politics of those who have erected statues comes to the fore, Espinoza is prescient in her approach to university bureaucracy and racial bias. The playwright compellingly explores the act of translating and the challenges adding to a Homeric canon through the lens of the black student's place in the racially-charged environments of higher education. Strong work.

This play is filled with a dense beauty and some questions that are easy to ask but very difficult to answer. Highly compelling and thoughtful. I would love to see this on stage sometime soon.