Boston Court to Premiere “Oedipus El Rey,” a Tale in the Barrio

From STAFF REPORTS
Published: Monday, February 8, 2010 | 2:16 PM

The Theatre @ Boston Court will open “Oedipus El Rey” by Los Angeles playwright Luis Alfaro on Feb. 27.

In this gritty reimagining of Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex,” the modern kingdom is the barrio of East LA. Our ruler, just released from prison, is in search of a new place called home. Along the way he faces off with a wounded queen, a three-headed born-again serpent and a king with road rage. Is our young homeboy doomed to suffer his destiny? The word on the street is not good, but great love conquers all.

“Oedipus El Rey” features Justin Huen in the title role and an ensemble including Marlene Forte, Daniel Chacon, Leandro Cano, Winston J. Rocha, Carlos Acuna and Michael Uribes.

Alfaro says, “I have always felt myself a part of a larger continuum; there were great writers before me and there will be great writers after, but for now, I feel humbled to tell the story of what it means to be alive today. The Greeks give us the structure for understanding the larger issues, and we writers get to tell the stories.”

Alfaro is a Chicano writer/performer known for his work in poetry, theatre, short stories, performance and journalism. He is the recipient of a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation fellowship, popularly known as a “genius grant,” awarded to people who have demonstrated expertise and exceptional creativity in their respective fields. He is also a producer/director who spent ten years at the Mark Taper Forum as Associate Producer, Director of New Play Development and co-director of the Latino Theatre Initiative.

His plays and performances include “Electricidad” (Teatro Vision-San Jose, Mark Taper Forum-Los Angeles, Goodman Theatre-Chicago, Borderlands Theatre-Tucson), “Downtown” (Institute of Contemporary Art-London, XTeresa Performance Space-Mexico City), “No Holds Barrio” (Goodman Theatre-Chicago), “Body of Faith” (Cornerstone Theater Company-Los Angeles), “Bitter Homes and Gardens” (Latino Chicago, Playwrights Arena-Los Angeles), “Ladybird” (La Jolla Playhouse.)

Alfaro is the only artist to have won two awards in the same year from The Kennedy Center’s Fund for New American Plays. He is also the recipient of awards from the National Endowment of the Arts, Theatre Communications Group and PEN USA, among others. He is featured in over 25 anthologies, has an award-winning spoken word CD, and was nominated for a local Emmy for his short film, Chicanismo. He is a member of New Dramatists, an associate artist at Playwrights Arena and Cornerstone Theatre Company in Los Angeles.

Jon Lawrence Rivera (Director) has directed several plays by Luis Alfaro including “Straight as a Line,” “Bitter Homes and Gardens,” “Hero,” and the Getty Villa workshop of “Oedipus El Rey.” Other recent productions include “The Last Five Years” by Jason Robert Brown (Ovation nomination), “Miss Saigon,” “Laws of Sympathy” by Oliver Mayer, “Sea Change” by Nick Salamone (LA Weekly Award), “The Third from the Left” by Jean Colonomos, “Hillary Agonistes” by Salamone (NY Fringe Award) and “Ruby, Tragically Rotund” by Boni B. Alvarez. He is the founding artistic director of Playwrights’ Arena and his productions have garnered over 100 local and international awards.

“Oedipus El Rey” is a National New Play Network rolling world premiere in conjunction with The Magic Theatre of San Francisco and Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington DC.

“Oedipus El Rey” previews for six performances beginning February 18, opening February 27 and runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through March 28. Preview tickets are priced at $17 and regular performances at $32. Senior and student discounts are also available. Tickets can be purchased online at bostoncourt.org or by calling (626) 683-6883. Boston Court Performing Arts Center is located one block north of Colorado at the corner of Mentor Ave. and Boston Ct.

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