Beginning previews September 1, Los Angeles’s Tony-winning Deaf West Theatre and Getty Museum present a bilingual, outdoor production of Sophocles' Oedipus at Getty Villa's Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater. Performed in American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken English, the show will officially open September 7, with performances running through October 1.
The cast features Broadway veterans Russell Harvard (To Kill a Mockingbird) as the titular King Oedipus, Alexandria Wailes (For Colored Girls), Amelia Hensley (Spring Awakening), and Matthew Jaeger (Children of a Lesser God); along with Ashlea Hayes (Switched at Birth), Gregor Lopes (Fidelio), Andrew Morrill (The Music Man), On Shiu (The Female Gaze), Akia Takara (All About Araya), and Jon Wolfe Nelson (The L Word).
Presented as a psychological murder mystery-meets-political thriller, the play follows King Oedipus as he faces the complexities of legacy, destiny, culture, and language. The production reimagines Sophocles' Greek tragedy by centering American Sign Language and using new technology.
Director Jenny Koons leads the creative team featuring set designer Tanya Orellana, costume designer Jojo Siu, lighting designer Jared A. Sayeg, projection designer Yee Eun Nam, and music and sound designer Peter Bayne. Andrew Morrill and Alexandria Wailes serve as ASL choreographers. Producing for Deaf West Theatre are DJ Kurs and Laura Hill.
“Bridging the gap between the Deaf and hearing communities is central to Deaf West’s mission,” says DJ Kurs, Artistic Director of Deaf West Theatre, in a statement. “We are excited to bring new life to this classic story. We are thrilled at the opportunity to build upon the early precepts of the art form of theater, such as staging and body language.”
For tickets and more information, visit Getty.edu.
Look at photos of Deaf West's Broadway revival of Spring Awakening:
