Irony and tragedy have always been uneasy bedfellows. thus, it is no surprise that in cynical eras such as ours, in which there are no moral absolutes, no clear beliefs, no accepted authority, and no commonly shared values or ethical norms, the act of producing a Greek tragedy requires a different lens. Even so, my recent experience shows that the plays continue to exert a peculiar hold on contemporary imaginations and can find startling resonances for modern audiences.