Theater of War Productions presents

The Oedipus Trilogy

To accompany the release of Bryan Doerries’ translations of Sophocles’ Oedipus Trilogy: Oedipus The King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone, the Theatre of War presents the dramatic reading of these seminal plays. The audience is invited 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. The events are presented on Zoom, for free.

Oedipus the King

Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at 7:00pm EDT
Sophocles’ Oedipus the King tells the story of an overconfident ruler during the time of a great plague, who refuses to listen to trusted advisors, ignores prophecy, and—after launching an investigation—discovers that he is the source of the contagion that is ravaging his people and his land. Upon uncovering the truth about himself and his role in the disaster, the king loses nearly everything—his crown, his wife, his power, his country, his honor—and wanders off into exile, a fate worse than death in ancient Greece. Oedipus the King is a timeless story about leadership, accountability, and the challenges faced by citizens and elected officials during pandemics and plagues.

“There are people suffering out there, dying from the hateful plague, and this is what you choose to do with your time?” – Jocasta, Sophocles’ Oedipus The King

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 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.

Oedipus at Colonus

Friday, November 5, 2021 at 7:00pm EDT
After years of wandering in exile, without shelter or protection, the blind, elderly beggar Oedipus stumbles upon the sacred grove of the Furies on the outskirts of Athens in an area called Colonus, with his daughter Antigone by his side. Upon discovering where they are, Oedipus reveals that an oracle has foretold he will finally find refuge and rest in Colonus, and Oedipus’ body—after he is dead—will protect the city that houses it for all time. No longer the polluted and banished man, whose very presence brings bad fortune to anyone who comes in contact with him, over the course of the play, Oedipus transforms into a holy suppliant, sacred to the gods, bestowing gifts upon those who show him compassion and mercy. Oedipus at Colonus interrogates the impulse to exile, warehouse, and dehumanize people seeking shelter, asylum, and protection, and explores why showing reverence and respect for the less fortunate always makes communities stronger.

The Oedipus at Colonus Project presents readings of scenes from Sophocles’ final play, Oedipus at Colonus, as a catalyst for powerful, community-driven conversations about homelessness, the immigration and refugee crisis, and the challenges of eldercare during and after the pandemic.

Antigone

Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 7:00pm EDT
Sophocles’ Antigone is an ancient play about a teenage girl who wishes to bury her brother, Polyneices, who recently died in a brutal civil war. Creon, the new, untested king, has ruled that Polyneices’ body must remain above the earth, and that anyone who breaks this law will be put to death. Antigone openly and intentionally defies his edict, covering her brother’s body with dirt and publicly declaring her allegiance to a higher law, one that transcends that of the state—the law of love. Creon is then forced, by his own political rhetoric, and the by fragile social order that he has barely begun to establish since the civil war, to make an example of his niece, by sentencing her to death. In the process of following through with his own decree, Creon loses everything. At its core, Antigone is a play about what happens when personal conviction and state law clash, raising the question: When everyone is right (or feels justified), how do we avert the violence that will inevitably take place?

The Antigone Project presents dramatic readings by acclaimed actors of Sophocles’ Antigone as a catalyst for powerful, healing discussions about racialized violence, police brutality, systemic oppression, gender-based violence, health inequality, and social justice.

To enjoy any of these events visit: www.theaterofwar.com/schedule and register to receive a viewing link.

Theater of War Productions works with leading film, theater, and television actors to present dramatic readings of seminal plays—from classical Greek tragedies to modern and contemporary works—followed by town hall-style discussions designed to confront social issues by drawing out raw and personal reactions to themes highlighted in the plays. The guided discussions underscore how the plays resonate with contemporary audiences and invite audience members to share their perspectives and experiences, and, helping to break down stigmas, foster empathy, compassion, and a deeper understanding of complex issues.

Notable artists who have performed with Theater of War Productions include Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Jeffrey Wright, Adam Driver, Jesse Eisenberg, Paul Giamatti, Jake Gyllenhaal, Alfred Molina, Samira Wiley, and others.
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