Notes from the director of "Oedipus el Rey"

From the programs for Oedipus el Rey ...

What are the consequences of defying the faith and beliefs of your community? Why do we build a prison within ourselves that keeps our desires in permanent lockdown? Can we control our destiny? What does it mean to be a king?  In Luis Alfaro’s brilliant revisionist play based on the ancient Greek tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles, these questions are asked and answered with a brutal and visceral poetry that is at once challenging to stage and thrilling to discover.

I designed the costumes a few years ago for the play’s first presentation at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. The play was in its early stages of development but even then I knew I wanted to take on the challenge of directing it. Having recently directed Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, I was able to see that Luis Alfaro, while deeply honoring the original story of one man’s journey from darkness to the light of redemption, has crafted his own story that needs to be taken on its own terms. It is  because of his unique combination of the ancient form combined with his own inventive departures from it that Oedipus el Rey has exploded with a volcanic force onto our contemporary stages and into the hearts of our audiences and he has done so by transforming the myth into the hard reality of today’s world.

Luis explores the prison system and its high rate of recidivism along with the Chicano community’s superstitions and religious beliefs. He takes us deep inside a ruling family’s dysfunctional relationships. This society, like the Theban one, is sick with corruption and violence. Yet somewhere in all of this, there is a love story.

Miracle Theatre Group has provided me with not just an opportunity to direct this stunning play, but I have been overwhelmed by the work of every single person in the organization to bring this production to life. From the brilliance of the designers and the hard work of the staff, to the blazing talent and creative contribution of every single member of this cast, this production has been a team effort in the truest sense of the word and by far one of the most moving and enjoyable experiences of my directing career. I hope that you will be as transported with the results of all of our efforts as we have been in creating it for you. This is our very own Oedipus el Rey and we are honored to present it to you. Thank you for coming and enjoy the show!
— Elizabeth Huffman