For students who feel deprived of Greek tragedy this semester, their annual dose can be received at this year’s production of “Oedipus.”  

On Apr. 19, the curtain will rise on a production months in the making. The show is the revived tragedy “Oedipus,” and will be directed by theatre instructor Chad Winters. Justin Davis stars in the title role of King Oedipus, while the role of Jocasta will be played by Payton Core, Creon played by William Rushing, the blind prophet Teiresias played by Misty Gros, the Shepherd played by Shelly Sneed, the Messenger played by Chris Dalton and the Stranger played by Akira Brewer.  

Oedipus Rex, an ancient Greek tragedy by Sophocles, has been loved by theatre fans since its creation. Oedipus, King of Thebes, becomes determined to investigate his past, and soon discovers a horrible truth. 

Winters is directing an adaptation of the classic tragedy in his own new style, based on a 2007 interpretation by Frank McGuinness. He wanted to present students with a piece of Classical Greek tragedy, but also wanted to freshen the work for a current audience. To this end, he added fresh choreography, as well as music played by students. The music is crafted to reflect the mood of the play and will be featured throughout the performance. Winters also praised the work of various designers, saying that the sets, lighting and costume all “bring the show to life.” However, the set is hardly the only thing Winters is optimistic about.  

“I always hope that we can sell out the show,” said Winters. “A lot of our audience comes from the student body, but classic plays bring a lot of people from our surrounding community.”

Actors in the show are also excited for their roles, Core amongst them.

“To be playing the role of Jocasta is an absolute honor,” said Core. “Going into auditions, don’t get me wrong, I was confident and gave it my all, but I was intimidated by all the other actors who I could tell were well known here. I was stunned, to say the least, when I got the call saying I was going to be the Queen.”

Gros also shared her enthusiasm for the role of Teirisias and described the unique challenge she faced in learning the character.

“Learning this role has been a real challenge for me,” said Gros. “Not only am I trying to flip this male character into a female but I was also trying to feel out how her reactions to different situations would be, learning her temperament has been probably the most challenging.”

“Oedipus” will premiere on Apr. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Vonnie Borden Theatre. Performances will continue until Apr. 22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the door and admission is free for Southeastern students with university ID.