Deaf West Theatre to Present Murder Mystery Oedipus at Getty Villa
(© Tricia Baron)
Deaf West Theatre has announced plans to mount a new take on Sophocles's Oedipus, which will perform outdoors at the Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater at the Getty Villa. Performances are scheduled September 1-October 1.
Oedipus is described in press material as, "a murder mystery, a political thriller, and a psychological whodunit." Performed in American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken English, the production promises to use new technology to shed light on an ancient Greek drama.
"Oedipus is a classic true crime story, as a man tries desperately to solve a murder in order to save his city," said director and adaptor Jenny Koons. "Our retelling digs deep into the suspense of the story with all the elements of a thriller, including false leads, fuzzy memories, and a looming prophecy from a mysterious Oracle."
Russell Harvard, who recently appeared in the Deaf West/LA Philharmonic production of Fidelio, will stars as Oedipus.
The cast also features Ashlea Hayes, Amelia Hensley, Matthew Jaeger, Gregor Lopez, Andrew Morrill, On Shiu, Akia Takara, Alexandra Wailes, and Jon Wolfe Nelson. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.
The play will feature set design by Tanya Orellana, costumes by Jojo Siu, lighting design by Jared A. Sayeg, projection design by Yee Eun Nam, and music and sound design by Peter Bayne. Andrew Morrill and Alexandria Wailes serve as ASL choreographers. DJ Kurs and Laura Hill produce for Deaf West Theatre.
The Getty Villa is home to a large collection of Greek and Roman antiquities.
