Translated by Prof. Marianne McDonald

This is arguably the greatest play ever written. It is Sophocles' masterpiece written around 427 BC just after the beginning of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC). It celebrates the greatness of man and weeps over his mistakes. It is a brilliant existentialist drama as well as a gripping murder mystery. Freud derived his "Oedipus complex" from the psychological drama of the central character. Mythologists see man's fears and triumphs in it. Playwrights, and composers have written their versions of it: Jean Anouilh, Igor Stravinsky, Jean Cocteau, Heiner Müller and Athol Fugard. The greatest actors have wanted the role of Oedipus for themselves, like Lawrence Olivier and John Gielgud, and Orson Welles in the film Citizen Kane has often been compared to this great hero.

Oedipus commits the greatest crimes a human being can commit, but he also shows the greatest courage after the gods have tried to destroy him. He is an existential hero and shows the immortality of the human spirit, the spirit that refuses to give up. He will not give up his search for the answer to the question, "Who am I." This is the search of every human being, but it is the rare person that combines the intellectual curiosity and rigor that Oedipus had, and the courage to pursue the quest until the very end, when discovery can also mean destruction.

The last line is a haunting warning to man:

Call no one happy,
Until that person has ended life
Free from sorrow.

As one does with all Greek tragedy, one leaves the theatre renewed and empowered to face one's greatest fears, and in this case also marveling at an incomparable monument to man's achievement.

Marianne McDonald, Ph.D., MRIA
http://www.mmcdonald.info
 

Marianne McDonald

Marianne McDonald is Professor of Theatre and Classics in the Department of Theatre at UCSD, and a member of the Royal Irish Academy. A recipient of many national and international awards, she has also written close to 200 articles and books including: Euripides in Cinema: The Heart Made Visible (Centrum Press, 1983), Ancient Sun, Modern Light: Greek Drama on the Modern Stage (Columbia University Press, 1992), Sing Sorrow: Classics, History and Heroines in Opera (Greenwood, 2001), Amid Our Troubles: Irish Versions of Greek Tragedies (Methuen, 2002), and the The Living Art of Greek Tragedy (Indiana University Press, 2003). She has translated and written versions of many Greek tragedies: her Sophocles' Antigone was directed by Athol Fugard in Ireland (1999); her version of Euripides' The Trojan Women was directed by Seret Scott at the Old Globe Theater (2000); her translation of Euripides' Children of Heracles (dir. Delicia Turner Sonnenberg) was performed at 6th at Penn (2003), and her Medea, Queen of Colchester (dir. Kirsten Brandt) at Sledgehammer theatre (2003).
 

George Ye

*Linda Castro

Dale Morris

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Matt Scott

Mark Broadnax

Marc Overton

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Jolene Hui

Jolene Hui is a writer/actress who was born and raised in Boise, Idaho where she attended Albertson College of Idaho receiving a B.A. in English and creative writing with a minor in music. After college she acted with Spontaneous Productions in Boise where she starred in The Rocky Horror Show, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, and The Laramie Project. Since moving to San Diego last year she has participated in a variety of theatre activities including acting in A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers--a staged reading benefit for the Cambodia Fund, and also in San Diego Asian American Repertory Theatre’s, Fentor. She has also modeled and appeared in commercials.

George Soete

George  was seen recently at 6^th @ Penn in The Children of Heracles.  He is delighted to be performing with this wonderful company again in his fourth career role as a chorus member in a Greek tragedy.  He has performed with theatre companies in Ohio, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Arizona, and now California.  Favorite roles include Judge Brack in Hedda Gabler, the Chorus in Anouilh’s Antigone, and Felix in The Odd Couple.

 This is Kelly’s debut at 6th @ Penn.  She has performed at The Old Globe in Visions of the Woman, & Trip Back Down.  NCRT: M. Butterfly.  She has been fortunate to work in film and commercial print work.  She is very happy to be a part of this wonderful cast.

*Jack Banning

*Cristina Soria

Read Cristina's Full Bio

Jack Missett

David Cohen

Kati Behumi

Kati was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary.  She is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Pasadena.  Most recently she played Woglinde and Gondul in Berzerkergang at Sledgehammer Theatre.  Kati earned her BA in Film and Telecommunications at SDSU.  Her award-winning short film, In Between can be seen on the Cox/PBS series The Short List and was selected for the Cannes Film Festival, 2000.  Kati is also cofounder of Eurotrash Productions for which she directed and produced Out at Sea and Exercises in Style at MMPAC. 

Catie Marron

Abbey Grace Howe

Abbey is thrilled to be making her 6^th @ Penn debut and honored to participate in the acclaimed Greeks series. Her other classic stage credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck) at Patio Playhouse and Comedy of Errors (keystone cop) at San Diego Junior Theatre. Last year she put in a Billie-award-winning performance playing Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker at North Coast Repertory Theatre. Other theatre credits: Annie (orphan) at Starlight Musical Theatre, Miss Nelson is Missing (Megan) at San Diego Junior Theatre and numerous Broadway Bound Youth shows including Aladdin, The Wizard of Oz, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Peter Pan. When she’s not acting, Abbey enjoys writing, especially as a reviewer for The Union-Tribune’s weekly Rated ‘G’ theatre and arts column.

Diane Bouche'

This is Diane’s first experience working in a San Diego production. She is currently working on a degree in theatre. Previously, she was very involved with the Jakarta Players in Jakarta, Indonesia. She played the part of Jessica Squires in JP’s production of “Dead White Males.” Behind the scenes, she was stage manager for JP’s “South Pacific” and “Pizzazz!” a musical review of Broadway shows. She also did props, lights and costumes for other JP productions. Diane is very happy to have had the opportunity to work with “Oedipus Tyrannous’” talented cast and multi-talented director, George Yé.

Karin Filijan

Karen  has an MFA degree in lighting design and teaches design at Mt. San Jacinto College.  Recent lighting credits include Eleanor, Holiday Memories, and The Man of La Mancha all at NCRT; The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told and Breaking The Code at Diversionary Theatre; Long Day’s Journey Into Night for Renaissance Theatre Co. at the Lyceum; and Our Lady of the Shoulder of the Road at 6th @ Penn.  Karin owns a lighting equipment rental and consultation business and has provided lighting design services for the AIFD National Symposium, the IFC World Tour, Recording artists Lacy J. Dalton, The Tokens, Michael Card, David Garfield, Steve Green, Larnell Harris and others.

Pam Benjamin

Pam is the founder of Beacon Theatre a special education and high-risk student theatre enrichment program designed to raise self-esteem and academic motivation.  Direction credits include Fridays with Maureen, Henry the Horse, The Duchess is Kaput, and No Exit. Pam was the Artistic and Technical director of the Actors Alliance Festival 2003.