About this Event
Oedipus in Seattle is an auto-theater mash-up of the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex and the 1993 rom-com Sleepless in Seattle. In this unconventional adaptation, two different actors take the stage each night without having rehearsed or read the script. Instructions from a voice in their headphones will guide them through the piece as they assume the roles of Oedipus, Jocasta, Meg Ryan, and Tom Hanks, with the casting decided by random chance. In a previous run at the 2022 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, the show won an overall Audience Choice award in the category of Theater.
Since the actors cannot have any previous knowledge of the show, there will be two different actors in each performance. On Saturday May 27th, the show will feature Maren Ward and Jon Cole, and on Sunday May 28th, it will feature Samantha Johns and Kait Sergenian. All the actors were regulars at the late, beloved Bedlam Theater, and we're taking this opportunity to get the band back together for one weekend only.
Oedipus in Seattle is a show about destiny, and the uncertainty of living a life without one. From ancient Greece tragedies to modern romantic comedies, audiences have always loved stories about destiny- characters who will end up winning or losing no matter how hard they try to escape their fate. Meanwhile, the actors in this piece will function more like we all do in real life- without a script, stumbling from one task to the next, trying and mostly failing to understand what it all means.
Skullsdotcom is the collaboration between playwright Savannah Reich and musician Douglas Vento. Their previous work together includes Caveman Play (2017, The Glitter Box and touring nationally) and Pestilence:Wow! (2018, Philadelphia Fringe Festival).
Savannah Reich (www.savannahreich.com) is a playwright, screenwriter, and theater-maker based in Philadelphia. She holds an MFA from Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied with Rob Handel. Her plays have been commissioned or developed by Walking Shadow Theater Company, the University of Minnesota, SuperGroup, and the Playwrights Center, supported by residencies at Tofte Lake Art Center and MassMoCA, and produced at theaters across the country. Her screenplay “Beebe and Barton” was the winner of the Sloan Student Grand Jury Prize in 2015, and her short film “Men Among Men” was the winner of the Bill Murray Comedy Award at the Twin Cities Film Festival in 2020. She was a 2020/21 McKnight Fellow at the Playwrights Center, and currently teaches playwriting and screenwriting at the University of the Arts.
Douglas Vento is a multi instrumentalist and sound artist based in Philadelphia. With roots in the American folk and DIY punk scenes, his work spans a variety of genres but always has a focus on experimentation and high intensity live performance. His Pittsburgh-based noise rock band, Tanning Machine, released four albums, including their self-titled album (2015), “binding problems” (2016), “AUTOMATED GRIEF” (2017) and “compulsion” (2018). His latest release includes the music created for this play, and will be available at this performance.
Doors open at 2PM. Tickets are $15 in advance / $20 at the door.
Full menu is available from your seat! Come eat and drink in the theater before and during the show!
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Bryant Lake Bowl and Theater, 810 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, United States
USD 15.00
