It's Not Complex, Get Tix Now For Legacy Theatre's 'Oedipus Rex'

BRANFORD, CT — The classic Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex will be running at the Legacy Theatre July 28 through Aug. 2. Though set in ancient Greece, the timeless tragedy explores the relationship between fate and free will.

With a live cast of 10, choral movement, projection, and ancient costuming, this production is a “crafty retelling of one of the first pieces of dramatic literature, written by Sopholces and first performed in Athens around 429 BC.

“It is such a joy to be working with this cast of professionals so willing to delve into this degree of storytelling - finding a way to make this ancient story accessible with such beauty, symbolism, and texture of thought,” director Keely Baisden Knudsen said. “The design team has outdone themselves- it is a beautiful production.”

Yale University and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art graduate Mitchel Kawash plays Oedipus.

“It has been such a pleasure working with Keely on this production because I think she really understands how to translate an ancient play like this into the present day," he said.

"In our Oedipus, Keely uses the modern tools of this beautiful new theater, including projection, sound, costuming, and a spectacular set, to not only tell a clear story but also capture its mythic energy in a way contemporary audiences will find relevant," Kawash said. "It is an exciting opportunity for today’s audiences to see one of the seminal pieces of Western theatre—but one that is rarely produced—onstage."

Mariah Sage, actor and co-artistic director and founding member of New Haven-based Theatre 4, plays Oedipus’ mother Jocasta.

“To me, what’s exciting about watching a classic play like Oedipus is to realize that the questions about life and destiny which intrigued the people of 429 BC are the same questions that still mystify us today," she said. "Fate versus free will is a timeless argument that has fascinated humans for centuries. Oedipus is right at the heart of those spirited discussions.”

Oedipus Rex tickets are on sale now at www.legacytheatreCT.org or through the box office at (203) 315-1901.

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Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the Legacy in the days before it first opened this spring.