An Alternate World of Captivating Drama — OEDIPUS THE KING at LCC

Perhaps the most well-known play of all time, Sophocles' Oedipus the King has been transported to something like a present-day corporate office in New York City for Leeward Community College Theatre’s current production of the classic. The tragedy crackles and hums—it vibrates—in this modernized staging.

The house opens and the audience fills in, while on a large projector screen, news-like images flash, accompanied by sections of voiceover. In the background, on either side of the screen, the city looms dark. As showtime arrives, a reporter is heard to say something about a solar power disaster… The screen is gone, and in stream the screaming, horrified masses—or, more precisely, shareholders. And what do they want? Oedipus, of course.

Joshua Weldon plays Oedipus as a young CEO certain of the love of his people—his company shareholders and those in the audience addressed as the “people of Thebes”—coming off a bit like a politician. Weldon, with the lion’s share of the lines, has some strong moments on his journey toward understanding his past and present, a realization that takes him much longer to achieve than everyone else, including the audience. The “people of Thebes,” by the end of the play, probably feel pity mingled with a sense of relief at the demise of a leader who is obviously a bit dense. The sympathy or empathy due to the great man who falls doesn’t totally manifest, simply because this Oedipus—though his status is great—lacks a bit of the natural charisma that should lift him in the “people’s” eyes.

The New York corporate setting works amazingly well for a number of reasons. First of all, the set is fantastic. Not in an over the top sort of way, either. It’s actually fairly simple, but something about Donald J. Ranney Jr.’s design—the symmetry of it, maybe, and the stairs to those big central doors, with an icon to the god Apollo above—commands attentiveness. Although Betty Burdick writes in her Director’s Note that the play is set “today, but not exactly today,” the place and time actually feels slightly futuristic, like a sci-fi version of Oedipus, an effect complemented and sustained by the lighting, sound, and costumes (designed by Sarah Whitehead, John Signor, and Cocoa Chandelier, respectively). In this not-too-distant future, it becomes entirely plausible that corporate CEOs are referred to as kings and that the old gods are worshipped in place of the current-day religious figureheads. Why not? In the future, anything’s possible. Or maybe the play's really set in an alternate universe…

Signor, as the Composer and Musical Director, and Chandelier, as the Movement Director, deserve extra credit for their contribution to the brilliant work of the chorus, an extension of the commanding overall design and concept of Burdick. The group of actors and actresses combine and complement one another both physically and vocally, lifting the entire show to greater heights. Their ensemble work, which is woven throughout the play, continually engages and surprises, enhancing the drama and the theatricality with clockwork-like movement sequences, modern street dance, and songs that linger in the psyche—original melodies under the actual words of the play made into lyrics, sung with beauty and soul.

Speaking of beauty and soul, the single most moving moment of the production for me comes when Jocasta (Andy Valencia) makes her final devastating exit from the stage. Valencia’s Jocasta is a perfect fit for the strange new world that is corporate Thebes. A strong woman whose very presence evokes power, she appears equally competent in business attire as in gorgeous golden robes worn to make an offering to the god Apollo.

Audience favorite Shawn Anthony Thomsen steps in and steals the show as the Corinthian Messenger. Thomsen’s ability to make every line sound natural and spontaneous, as if he were improvising rather than speaking rehearsed dialogue, allows him to “play” with the other characters on stage, including Oedipus. His entrance breathes fresh air into the show, giving the audience a chance to really connect with the characters at a pivotal point in the play. The humor Thomsen brings is in just the right contrast to the impending tragedy.

There are three other strong supporting performances of note. Reb Beau Allen (Creon) makes the transformation from Oedipus’s drunken brother-in-law to the sobered future leader of Thebes, managing to inspire confidence that the future holds hope after all. Brandon Hagio’s Tiresius, the blind prophet, adds another element of the futuristic with a character that feels like something out of the Matrix. Jonathan Reyn (Old Shepard) increases the tension during the final revelations with his portrayal of a man who’s lived long and kept secrets that he would rather never have known.

Burdick’s vision of Oedipus casts this well-known story into an alternate place, more familiar to most than ancient Greece, but ultimately not quite recognizable, which only makes it that much more interesting. This production grabs hold and builds on Burdick’s concept, with the designers and cast members, one and all, bending their artistry in tune. From the choreographed chorus numbers to the subtle use of lighting and sound effects to the cultivated characters surrounding the tragically blind hero, Oedipus the King brings an exceptional degree of refinement and unified creativity to the LCC theatre mainstage.

For more information, see the LCC Theatre website or the Facebook event page.

Photo stolen from Jonathan Reyn's Facebook album.