Davis and Elkins College - Senatus Yearbook (Elkins, WV)

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ea OE os Oedipus Rex Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex one of the most famous Greek tragedies was performed by the D E Theatre Department. The story begins by outlining the condition of Thebes, the province ruled by King Oedipus, which is troubled by plagues. When the gods reveal that the plague is a result of the murder of the previous King of Thebes, Oedipus promises to find the killer and punish him. 24 Oedipus Rex The plot unfolds as Oedipus dis- covers that he had killed the ruler, and the ruler was his father. He then became the next king by solving the riddle of the sphinx, and married the Queen Jocasta, his real mother. The theme of predestination, cen- tral to the Greek tragedies, runs through the plot as the play ends with the death of Jocasta, and Oedi- pus blinding and exiling himself. yeasts a: 5 ia af , 4 4 YN es 2 tee Boe

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Above: OPENING NIGHT- panel including a minister, religion professor, a doctor, and others discussed with the audience the con- troversial topic of the play. Whose life is it anyway? Provoking medical questions of life and death, emotions were probed after the play’s opening per- formance. The setting took place in an inten- sive care unit where Ken Harrison played by Rob Steele, lay motion- less from neck down due to an auto- mobile accident. Before the acci- dent, Ken enjoyed sculpting and teaching art. Afterwards, he had no desire to sustain his life without the use of his body. The crucial issue arose as “‘the right to die’’ was grappled with among the staff of the hospital. Fi - nally a judge was called in, played by Pete Josimovich, and ruled in fa- vor of Ken’s decision to end his life. Following the play’s opening per- formance was a panel discussion consisting of people in different vo- cations and backgrounds related to this issue. Each gave his personal and professional point of view to the issue. ‘Whose Life Is It Anyway?’’ 23

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}Page 24) Above right: PLEADING TO THE GODS are the lders. of Thebes, appealing for freedom from the lague. (Amy Warren, Sarah Graves, Dorthea Cre- raft) Above top left: SARAH GRAVES as messenger jzlays the gruesome details of what she has seen. ) Far middle left: KING OEDIPUS swears by the | ods that he will find and punish the murderer. (Wes ones) | L eft! THE STATELY QUEEN JOCASTA RE- juses to believe the ghastly, fateful truth. Left: THE CORINTHIAN MESSENGER (Bruce Pedretti) brings news of the death of Oedipus’ father to the Queen. (Missy Simcoe) Below: THE BLIND, SELF-PUNISHED Oedi- pus draws some comfort from his daughters Is- mene (Debbie McQuain) and Antigone (Leann Pedretti). Below left: THE SOLDIERS (Jim Bean, Bob Bancroft) assist as the King forces the Herdsman (Billy McNaughton) to reveal the identity of the killer. Oedipus, King of Thebes ..... Westin Jones HOCASE, TRIS WWM oc os cos snrae Missy Simcoe Creon, His Brother-in-law ..... Robert Steele Teiresias, Old Blind Prophet . Richard Carvlin A. Priests Pepa corremer . .. Dorothea Crecraft Corinthian Messenger ....... Bruce Pedretti JS [RVCRAIEIN sols once avs: Bill McNaughton Second Messenger .........- Sarah Graves PNG CE! “wor sutoo cane modes Leann Pedretti ISINCENG Sy, eiveneee sae eae Debbie McQuain SOldiClS letieeier es ee es Robert Bancroft James Bean A Chorus of Elders of Thebes .. Amy Warren Terry White Sarah Graves Dorothea Crecraft Oedipus Rex 25