Monthly Archives: February 2011
Brandon Gryde on OEDIPUS, Los Angeles, and the Importance of Storytelling
Upon seeing Oedipus el Rey, I was excited by the fact that it was based in Los Angeles, my hometown. While my life was far removed from the world of those in prison, the dialogue, the references, and even the … Continue reading
Filed under Connectivity, Neighborhoods, Oedipus el Rey
It Takes a Village…
It Takes a Village is the title of then-First Lady Hillary Clinton’s 1996 bestseller about the impact individuals and groups have, for better or worse, on a child’s growth. In Luis Alfaro’s Oedipus El Rey, a child is abandoned by his … Continue reading
Filed under Connectivity, Neighborhoods, Oedipus el Rey
A Look Behind the Authenticity of Playwriting
What business does a white dude from Boston who’s never set foot in California have dramaturging a Chicano re-imagining of Sophocles’ Oedipus that’s set in a South Central LA barrio? A few nights ago, I moderated a post-performance dialogue with … Continue reading
Filed under Artistic, Neighborhoods, Oedipus el Rey
The Oedipus Connection
Why, young man, why do you want to be un Rey? At the start of Oedipus el Rey, Luis Alfaro’s contemporary retelling of Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is a young man who has spent nearly his entire life in prison. He’s … Continue reading
Filed under Connectivity, Oedipus el Rey
Tell Us How You Really Feel.
How will a modern adaptation of arguably the most classic of Greek plays, re-contextualized in the Chicano culture and set in the greater-Los Angeles area resonate with our community? That’s the $64,000 question we’ve been wrestling with until last week … Continue reading
Filed under Connectivity, Oedipus el Rey, podcasts
Luis Alfaro and Washington, DC: “A Great Love Affair”
Some people make their discoveries through a map, directions, or even a little GPS. Playwrights do it through the body. Sometimes it is the literal body and sometimes the body of an idea, building, or even a city. Today I … Continue reading
Filed under Artistic, Neighborhoods, Oedipus el Rey
Connectivity Director Rachel Grossman on Recidivism, Conversation, and the Power of Live Theatre
One of our Woolly Board Members recently reminded me of a great Don Draper quote from Mad Men (I paraphrase): If you don’t like what they’re saying, change the conversation. But here’s the question: how do you change constant radio … Continue reading
Filed under Connectivity, Oedipus el Rey
Glossary of Spanish Words & Phrases
Luis Alfaro’s Oedipus el Rey is certainly written for an English-speaking audience. But as a Chicano adaptation of the Greek classic, the play is peppered with Spanish words and phrases. The seamless combination of Spanish and English is an important part … Continue reading
Filed under Artistic, Oedipus el Rey
Luis Alfaro on Sophocles, Recidivism & South Central LA Grocery Stores
Oedipus el Rey playwright Luis Alfaro sat down with Production Dramaturg John M. Baker to talk about Sophocles, recidivism, and South Central LA grocery stores. Why is the issue of recidivism—the tendency to relapse into criminal behavior—so important to you? … Continue reading
Filed under Artistic, Oedipus el Rey
Whitney Louchheim & Penelope Spain on Mentoring Newly-Released DC Youth
In 2005, Whitney T. Louchheim and Penelope J. Spain founded Mentoring Today, a DC-based organization that serves youth both before and after they are released from incarceration to support their successful reintegration into their families and community. Mentoring Today’s advocates … Continue reading
Filed under Artistic, Neighborhoods, Oedipus el Rey
