A dramatic reading of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King as a catalyst for a powerful, global conversation about the COVID-19 pandemic.
About this event
The Oedipus Project presents acclaimed actors reading scenes from Sophocles’ Oedipus the King on Zoom as a catalyst for powerful, constructive, global conversations about the climate crisis, ecological disaster, environmental justice, and healing online conversations about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon diverse communities throughout the world. Sophocles’ ancient play, first performed in 429 BC, just after a plague that killed nearly one-third of the Athenian population, is a story of arrogant leadership, ignored prophecy, intergenerational curses, willful blindness, and a pestilence and ecological collapse that ravages the archaic city of Thebes. Seen through this lens, Oedipus the King appears to have been a powerful tool for helping Athenians communalize trauma and loss, while interrogating their own complicit role in the suffering, not just of those around them but of generations to come.
This presentation of The Oedipus Project is part of a series of events accompanying the release of Bryan Doerries' translations of Sophocles' Oedipus Trilogy: Oedipus The King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. We encourage our audience to attend all three events and engage in the story of an intergenerational curse passing through a single family, tracing an arc from early childhood trauma to familial and societal collapse.
We are proud to be collaborating with The On Being Project on this series. Krista Tippet—Founder, Executive Producer, and Host of On Being—will introduce this special event.Featuring performances by Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Frankie Faison (The Wire), Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone), David Zayas (Dexter), Josh Hamilton (Eighth Grade), Glenn Davis (Billions), Marjolaine Goldsmith (Company Manager of Theater of War Productions), Daphne Rubin-Vega (In The Heights), and Jumaane Williams (New York City Public Advocate).
Translated, directed, and facilitated by Bryan Doerries.
Produced by Marjolaine Goldsmith
Support for our digital programming is provided, in part, by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Ongoing support has also been provided by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, our partner for more than ten years.
The event Zoom link will be distributed and available to registered attendees starting 2 days prior to the event.
All of Theater of War Productions' events follow the same format:
The actors will read the play.
Four community panelists will kick off the discussion with their gut responses to what resonated with them across time.
We will open the discussion to the audience, facilitated by Bryan Doerries. During the discussion, please raise your hand using the button at the bottom center of the screen. If called upon, you will be promoted to speak and you will be visible and heard by the entire audience for the duration of your comments. If you would prefer not to be seen, please disable your video.
To learn more and register for the event, visit Eventbrite