Purdue Professor Brings Satirical Oedipus to New York City’s 54 Below
Dr. Anne Fliotsos, Professor of Theatre Emerita, is directing her rom-com musical version of Oedipus downstairs from Robert Icke’s adaptation of Oedipus at Studio 54 in New York City this December. Fliotsos' co-author, Bob Johnson, decided to pitch the idea to 54 Below, "Broadway's Supper Club," when he discovered that the Olivier Award-winning Oedipus would be performing upstairs.
"We had some initial success with Oedipus! A New Musical Comedy in the 1990s, when we wrote and produced it as graduate students at the University of Maryland, College Park. I directed that production, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be directing a concert version at a prestigious venue in New York 30 years later," Fliotsos said. She's particularly excited to be working with Broadway actors alongside two of the original cast members. "This is a one-night-only event, and we were thrilled to get a fabulous cast and music director. Our Oedipus is crammed with jokes from the original Sophocles and teaming with musical theatre references. We really had a ball creating this show--a fun time for all!"
Oedipus! A New Mucical Comedy - NYC Cast
Oedipus! A New Musical Comedy takes the classic Greek tragedy out of the Mediterranean and into the backwoods of coal country. The musical transforms the tale of Oedipus (Eddie) and Jocasta (Jo) into a joyous rom-com romp through clairvoyant midwives, incestuous relationships, and idiot psychic children. Kicking the classic tragedy’s grim ending to the curb, this musical offers Eddie and Jo a delightfully unexpected — and relevant for our times — conclusion. Songs include “The Need a Man Blues,” “Safety Orange,” and “Moonpies & RC Cola."
This concert stars Janine LaManna (The Drowsy Chaperone, Sweet Charity, Seussical) and Jeff Gorti (Chicago, A Chorus Line-- Helen Hayes Award Winner). The cast also featues Adam B Shapiro (Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, The Mikado-Reimagined), Billy Sharpe (The Scarlet Pimpernel, 42nd Street), and Zuri Washington (1776, Bat out of Hell, Memphis). Additionally, members of the original cast, Pam Schmier Hacker and Jennifer Norkin Schwartz (“Ugly Betty,” “Entourage”), join the performance.
Book & Lyrics by Bob Johnson and Anne Fliotsos, with Music by Edwin Wald and Cynthia Jay. Based on the classic tragedy by Sophocles. It is directed by co-lyricist Anne Fliotsos and has Michael Lavine serving as the musical director. Oedipus! A New Musical Comedy is a 1996 Jim Henson Award winner for Projects Related to Puppetry and a 1997 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Artistic Achievement Award (Playscript) recipient.
Oedipus! A New Musical Comedy plays 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on Sunday, December 21st, at 9:30 pm. Cover charges are $35 (includes $5 in fees) – $46 (includes $6 in fees). Premiums are $73.50 (includes $8.50 in fees). There is a $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.org. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00pm are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.
54 Below, a recipient of the 2022 TONY AWARDS® Honor for Excellence in the Theatre, is a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve the music of Broadway and expand the art of the cabaret while growing opportunities for diverse communities of emerging and established artists and providing unparalleled audience experiences. It was founded as a place for the Broadway community to celebrate Broadway performers, both established and new, who sing not only the music of Broadway and the Great American Songbook, but also new material intended for Broadway and off-Broadway stages. It is one of the most in demand venues in the city, presenting over 700 shows per year, and features fine dining and superb scenic, lighting, and sound designs entirely imagined by Broadway designers. For performers, writers, musicians, and more, 54 Below gives opportunities to advance their craft, expand their repertoires, and develop their voices in a way that is more personal, making them stronger as artists. It also gives Broadway fans an opportunity to see their favorite artists in a different way, deepening their relationship and understanding of their talent. 54 Below celebrates Broadway musicals and writers of the past and present, promoting an ongoing engagement with their work. It is also a place for innovation in musical songwriting and performance. Collaborations born at 54 Below give rise to and help develop new theatrical projects and new musicals. Located at 254 West 54th Street, the club presents live shows at 7pm and 9:30pm.