Buy Gospel at Colonus Tickets Now!
University Theatre is celebrating springtime with a gospel adaptation of a classical play from ancient Greece, The Gospel at Colonus, by playwright Lee Breuer and composer Bob Telson.
Performances are scheduled for May 5-6 & 9-13 at 8 p.m., with a matinee at 2 p.m. on May 7, at the John Wright Theater, Speech Arts Building on the Fresno State campus.
The performance uses music to relate the well-known tale of how Oedipus was fated to kill his father and marry his mother, how he blinded himself when he discovered that his daughters were also his sisters, how his two sons warred over his throne and destroyed themselves, and how he wandered the world as a beggar until he found shelter at Colonus.
Described as a musical that blends the agony of Greek tragedy and the ecstasy of American gospel music, The Gospel at Colonus ran for several months on Broadway with an all-star cast that included actors Morgan Freeman, Sam Butler Jr. and Kevin Davis. It won an Obie Award for best musical and an L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award, and it was nominated for several other honors including a Pulitzer Prize, a Tony Award for best script and a Grammy for best recorded theater score.
The Gospel at Colonus has elements, which appeal to a large and diverse audience. This includes fans of literature and Greek mythology, theater lovers, religion students and scholars, church members and anyone interested in learning about African American culture. All will be both entertained and educated by this dramatic story.
The vocals for this production are under the direction of Christopher St. James with stage direction by Thomas-Whit Ellis. Scene design by Jeff Hunter, costume design by Annalise Baker, lighting design by Jennifer Sullivan and sound design by Victoria DeIorio. The cast numbers near 50 with a wonderful mix of students and community members.
Tickets are $8 for Fresno State students $15 for Fresno State Faculty and Staff, Seniors, Members of the Alumni Association and students at Other Schools and $17 to the general public. Tickets are available on line at www.cusfresno.edu/Theatre or at the University Theatre Box Office, 559-278-2216.
For more information, call the Theatre Box Office at 278-2216
or e-mail