The Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance will present Oedipus, opening October 13 at 7:30 p.m. Performances will be held in Westhoff Theatre and will run through October 28 in rotating repertory with All’s Well That Ends Well.
Ellen McLaughlin’s Oedipus, adapted from the Sophocles original, depicts a city in inexplicable crisis as Thebes is seized by plague, war, and famine. Desperate to save his people, Oedipus sends a messenger to the Oracle at Delphi. He discovers that their salvation rests solely on finding the murderer of the former king, Laius, who was brutally slain by a stranger at the crossroads years ago. As Oedipus searches for the truth and begins to unravel the mystery of the stranger’s identity, he unknowingly sets in motion the wheels of his own destruction. Oedipus explores hidden truths, the weight of leadership, and the search for truth and meaning in our lives.
Oedipus depicts a city in inexplicable crisis, seized by plague, war, and famine. Talkbacks will follow the October 13 and 21 performances.
The cast and crew have teamed up with the International Rescue Committee to raise funds for the lost and suffering in our world. Visit the committee’s crowdrise page to participate in this fundraising campaign. Talkbacks will follow the October 13 and 21 performances, offering a chance to dialogue openly about the production and its implications.
“When the Athenians were entrenched in war, crippled by the plague, and coping with widespread famine, Sophocles gave them Oedipus,” Director Kristin Schoenback said. “Today, facing the Syrian refugee crisis, the ongoing plight of immigrants in the United States, coupled with our current political arena, we turn once again to Oedipus. This play continues to provide a lens through which we can look at our world today, and ask, ‘What is it to be human? What do we owe each other? What sense can we make of the inevitability of human suffering around us?’”
Performances of Oedipus are October 13, 17, 19, 21, and 25 at 7:30 p.m. There will also be matinees on October 14, 22, and 28 at 2 p.m. All performances will take place in Westhoff Theatre.
For tickets or information, contact the College of Fine Arts Box Office, located in the Illinois State University Center for the Performing Arts, open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, at 309-438-2535, or purchase tickets online by visiting ticketmaster.com. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Performance parking is available for free in the School Street Parking Deck in spots 250 and above, 400 West Beaufort Street in Normal.
