The Oedipus Project

See if this story written in 429 BC sounds familiar. A plague is ravaging the Athenian population. Why did one-third of the people lose their lives? Because leadership thought it knew better, paid no attention to prophecy and ignored the fatal disease wreaking havoc in Thebes. Doesn’t Oedipus the King, by Sophocles, sounds like it was ripped from today’s headlines? Which is perhaps why Theater of War Productions is doing a live-streaming reading of the play as part of The Oedipus Project on May 7th at 7:30 PM EDT/4:30 PM PDT. The event is free, but requires a Zoom link.

Participating in The Oedipus Project are Frances McDormand, Oscar Isaac, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Frankie Faison, David Strathairn, Glenn Davis, Marjolaine Goldsmith and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. The event has been translated and directed by Bryan Doerries.

Here’s the rundown of The Oedipus Project.

The event will begin with a reading of the play. That will be followed by a discussion with four community panelists about the topicality of Oedipus the King. The final section will be a Q&A that is open to the audience. Doerries will be moderating the Q&A. Viewers will have the option via Zoom of asking their questions both with and without video active.

The link above allows you to register for The Oedipus Project via EventBrite. From there you will be given the access code at Zoom for the event.

Theater of War’s website page for this event includes a quote from the play that is, perhaps, a question we’ve all been asking ourselves. “There are people suffering out there, dying from the hateful plague, and his is what you choose to do with your time?”

Cast photo of The Oedipus Project courtesy of Theater of War Productions.