An unbearable offense on the job drives a working class man and his wife into a desperate conflict between dignity, family, and justice.

Ajax is a devoted family man, hard working, and the very best at what he does. With his father’s untimely passing he stands to inherit both ownership of a thriving logging business and an heirloom of deep personal significance. But when he is suddenly forced to compete for the very position he believes he’s already earned, his passions and choices threaten to bring his entire life crashing down around him in the space of just a few hours.

This very modern and very southern re-imagining borrows themes from Sophocles’ The Ajax, and infuses the ancient myth with dark humor, modern prose, and a cast of characters both relatable and timeless. We promise you don’t need to know the first thing about ancient Greece in order to enjoy this vivid and visceral production.

* Language Warning: There’s a lot of cussing in this show, ya’ll.

* Content Warning: On stage violence.

After the critical and box office successes of Cindy&Ella, and The Story Story, playwright JP Schuffman premiers his third full length work in Knoxville with Alas, Ajax. Over the course of 2024 JP was fortunate to be a part of Knoxville’s Next Rung Productions script development program, and the result of that excellent experience was Alas, Ajax. Next Rung’s insightful, highly personalized, and invigorating approach to play development was integral in bringing this story into the world, and we encourage anyone interested in playwrighting - at any level of experience - to learn more about their mentorship and training opportunities by clicking their link here.