USI Theatre opens the 2001-2002 season with Oedipus on Wednesday, October 17, 2001.
“The USI Theatre’s production of Oedipus will leave you feeling as though you had experienced the Greek tragedy in its original venue,” said Elliot Wasserman, director and USI associate professor of theatre.
“As I worked with the play, I felt continually drawn to the image of the amphitheatre, to a hillside performance site spacious enough to include virtually every citizen of a city at one time, and the idea of assembling everybody at once imparts the larger notion that the play is much more about the public conduct of a man rather than his inner struggles,” Wasserman said.
This Greek classic is the tragic tale of a young man’s fate versus his free will. Oedipus attempts to escape his prophesized destiny of marrying his mother and murdering his father. Freud used this tale in 20th century psychoanalysis calling it the Oedipus complex.
The production will run Wednesday, October 17 through Saturday, October 20 and Wednesday, October 24 through Sunday, October 28 at the USI Theatre at 3001 Igleheart Ave. Wednesday and Thursday curtain times are 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday curtain times are 8 p.m.; and the Sunday matinee will be performed at 2 p.m. Tickets are $9 for adults; $7 for seniors/children under 18; and $3 for USI students with their Eagle Access Card. Reservations can be made by calling the box office at 422-3970.
Cast members include Jason McCord (Oedipus), Jessica Corbett (Jocasta), Aaron Bonds (Creon), Barry Green (Teiresias), Jesse Phillips (Priest), Leo Kempf (Shepard), Matthew Gordon (Messenger) and Hisham Madi (Messenger). Rai Stovall, Jami Wiseman, Tim Johnson, Joe Ciresi, and Erin Bent are chorus members. Jason Rudd is the stage manager and Kyla Mallory is the assistant stage manager.
Technical crew includes Kerry Cripe, lights/sound designer; Doug Hubble, scene designer; Shan Jensen, costume designer; and John McPherson, technical director.
The rest of the 2001-2002 season includes Sprint Scenes December 6 and 7, The Odd Couple (female version) opening February 13, and In the Boom Boom Room opening April 17. USI also will host the American College Theatre Festival January 8-13. For ticket information call (812) 465-1668 or visit us on the Web at www.usi.edu/libarts/arts/Theatre/.