There are many reasons why the tale of the Trojan War remains timeless. Gargantuan folly, sad to say, never goes out of style. But you only need two incentives for An Iliad, which begins previews tonight. First, the one-man show was co-created (with director Lisa Peterson) by the always impeccable Denis O’Hare, a Tony-winning performer (as a gay accountant besotted by baseball in Take Me Out) and indispensable Hollywood character actor. (Note his despicable hit-and-run driver in Michael Clayton or impeccably vile Senator Griggs in Milk). Second, when O’Hare’s shooting schedule for HBO’s True Blood (as the Vampire King of Mississippi) meant he suddenly had to bow out of his own piece, longtime Seattle actor Hans Altwies—a founder of this city’s fine New Century Theatre Company—took over his role. Or, rather, roles: Altwies possesses the leading man looks for all of Homer’s heroes and an appealing ease that should lend itself nicely to drawing an audience into the grand yet intimate act of solo storytelling. O’Hare and Peterson want you to reflect on the modern resonances of ancient Greek vengeance; Altwies is the ideal warrior to wage that battle. STEVE WIECKING [Also see Margaret Friedman’s review.] 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sun., 2 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends May 16.

Wednesdays-Sundays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, Sundays, 2 p.m. Starts: April 9. Continues through May 16, 2010