Two mind-blowing hours of happiness and sadness will greet patrons of Thebans, the final season production of the MacEwan University theatre arts and theatre production programs that opens tonight. It runs until Sunday, April 1.
Directed by Jennifer Spence, Thebans compresses Oedipus, Seven Against Thebes, The Phoenician Women and Antigone into one production.
In the first act, Oedipus is the mythical king of Thebes who fulfils a prophecy that he will murder his father and marry his mother thereby causing the destruction of the city.
“The second act is 10 years later and it’s about the children. The gods are punishing the family and it’s about how one mistake leads to another and then everything unravels,” says St. Albert actress Robyn Kumish.
She is a member of the Greek chorus, the narrator and conscience of these tragic events. A second local actor, Steven Angove, plays Haemin, a soldier.
Kumish adds that although the story is classic Greek theatre, it still relates to present day events. She compares it to how leaders of countries easily engage in wars with little thought to their citizens.
“It was first performed a year after 9/11. The president made a decision to go to war and everyone has to go. You don’t have a choice. It’s not affecting the leaders. It’s affecting you.”
In this production, the chorus is even garbed in floor length Middle Eastern attire and headscarves.
“The author combined six different Greek tragedies in two mind-blowing hours. You feel happiness and sadness and everything in between.”
Thebans is performed in the Theatre Lab, Centre for the Arts and Communications. Tickets are $10.75 to $12.75. Call 780-420-1757 or purchase online at www.tixonthesquare.ca
Canadian comedy star Darrin Rose is on a cross-country theatre tour with Chasing Manhood, a one-man show about growing up as a skinny comic book collector raised by a brawny father and older brother.
During his nine-city tour from Halifax to Vancouver, he will stop at the Citadel Theatre on Saturday. Showtime is 8 p.m.
Rose currently stars on the CBC comedy, Mr. D and is a regular cast member on MuchMusic’s Video On Trial.
Tickets are $27. Call 780-425-1820 or purchase online at www.citadeltheatre.com
Just back from performing at two Canadian Music Awards showcase gigs in Toronto, Tupelo Honey is revving up for a gig in Untapped Alberta on Saturday at The Pawnshop.
They are partnering with Alberta Music and iHuman, a non-profit agency supporting Edmonton youth at risk, for a fabulous evening of rock and roll.
Tupelo Honey has landed top billing followed by Mars and Venus and The Lions.
“Be there and you will have my eternal friendship,” wrote lead singer Dan Davidson in an email.
Tickets are $10 and are available at www.ticketweb.ca or at Blackbyrd Myoozik at 780-439-1273. The Pawn Shop is on 105 St. and Whyte Ave.
