Oedipus

Oedipus adapted by Ellen McLaughlin

(0)
Productions (17)
Drama
|
70 - 90 minutes
1 W, 6 M, 6 Any (13-20 actors possible: 2-6 W, 8-13 M)
Set: Minimal.

A plague grips the city of Thebes. Desperate to save his people, King Oedipus sends a messenger to the oracle at Delphi and discovers that the city's salvation lies in finding and punishing the murderer of the former king, Laius, who was brutally slain by a stranger at a crossroads years ago. When Oedipus orders a manhunt, he unknowingly sets the wheels of his own destruction in motion. This lean, contemporary version brings a new, poignant power to this primal work that is the cornerstone of Western drama.

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Pricing Information

Min. Performance Fee* $85
Standard Edition $13.99
Stage Manager Edition $24.99
Archival Video License $150

*The per performance fee begins at $85. Your per performance fee will be provided during the ordering process.


Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

Play Details

A plague grips the city of Thebes. Desperate to save his people, King Oedipus sends a messenger to the oracle at Delphi and discovers that the city's salvation lies in finding and punishing the murderer of the former king, Laius, who was brutally slain by a stranger at a crossroads years ago. When Oedipus orders a manhunt, he unknowingly sets the wheels of his own destruction in motion. This lean, contemporary version brings a new, poignant power to this primal work that is the cornerstone of Western drama.

  • Drama
  • |
  • 70 - 90 minutes
  • 1 W, 6 M, 6 Any (13-20 actors possible: 2-6 W, 8-13 M)
  • Set: Minimal.
  • Standard Edition ISBN: 978-1-62384-537-7

Published Reviews

"Shatteringly brilliant...builds with moment after moment of bitter beauty, its poetry and revelations coming in grave waves."

Rohan Preston, Star Tribune

"[McLaughlin] brings an appealingly modern poetic sensibility to Oedipus as well, teasing out contemporary-feeling questions of free will and intoxicating self-knowledge without losing the play's shamanistic insistence on fate's inexorability."

Variety

Production History

DEC 04, 2024 - DEC 08, 2024
Collin College
Plano, TX United States
 Collin College Plano, TX United States
MAR 15, 2024 - MAR 15, 2024
Hanford High Drama
Ellensburg, WA United States
 Hanford High Drama Ellensburg, WA United States
DEC 08, 2023 - DEC 08, 2023
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA United States
 Juniata College Huntingdon, PA United States
FEB 21, 2023 - FEB 25, 2023
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA United States
 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA United States
NOV 18, 2022 - NOV 19, 2022
Academy for Performing Arts
SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ United States
 Academy for Performing Arts SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ United States
JAN 15, 2021 - JAN 17, 2021
Hanford High School
Richland, WA United States
 Hanford High School Richland, WA United States
NOV 19, 2020 - NOV 21, 2020
College of Southern Idaho
CSI, ID United States
 College of Southern Idaho CSI, ID United States
FEB 19, 2020 - FEB 21, 2020
White Light Theatre
Gibraltar, Gibraltar
 White Light Theatre Gibraltar, Gibraltar
FEB 13, 2020 - FEB 15, 2020
Yale Drama Coalition
New Haven, CT United States
 Yale Drama Coalition New Haven, CT United States
MAR 29, 2018 - APR 25, 2018
Hurricane High Drama
Hurricane, UT United States
 Hurricane High Drama Hurricane, UT United States
OCT 13, 2017 - OCT 28, 2017
School Of Theatre & Dance, Illinois State University
Normal, IL United States
 School Of Theatre & Dance, Illinois State University Normal, IL United States
JAN 15, 2017 - FEB 28, 2017
University Of North Georgia
Gainesville, GA United States
 University Of North Georgia Gainesville, GA United States
JUN 24, 2016 - AUG 10, 2016
Hope College
Holland, MI United States
 Hope College Holland, MI United States
APR 11, 2015 - MAY 31, 2015
Odyssey Theatre
Los Angeles, CA United States
 Odyssey Theatre Los Angeles, CA United States
APR 11, 2015 - MAY 24, 2015
Odyssey Theatre
Los Angeles, CA United States
 Odyssey Theatre Los Angeles, CA United States
JUL 25, 2013 - JUL 28, 2013
Dobama Theatre
Cleveland Heights, OH United States
 Dobama Theatre Cleveland Heights, OH United States
JAN 15, 2005 - FEB 13, 2005
Guthrie Theater
Minneapolis, MN United States
 Guthrie Theater Minneapolis, MN United States
No upcoming productions.
JUN 24, 2016 - AUG 10, 2016
Hope College
Holland, MI United States
 Hope College Holland, MI United States
APR 11, 2015 - MAY 31, 2015
Odyssey Theatre
Los Angeles, CA United States
 Odyssey Theatre Los Angeles, CA United States
JAN 15, 2005 - FEB 13, 2005
Guthrie Theater
Minneapolis, MN United States
 Guthrie Theater Minneapolis, MN United States

Archival Video License

Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License to add to your order for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

This allows you to record one of your live performances for your internal archives only. This cannot be streamed.

For more information, please reach out to [email protected]

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