WATCH THE OFFICAL TRAILER OF PROGRESSIVE THEATER’S THE GOSPEL AT COLONUS
As a company, Progressive Theater aims to tell
culturally enriched stories that empower the most represented; people of color
and women and captivate all audiences with the focus on being the change that
is needed in the theater community. They believe in the significance of what is
put on stage and screen, and what people are perceiving which is why telling
these stories becomes absolutely integral.
In
these trying times, the management of Progressive Theater realized that a
number of people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. As
a result, director Gregory Omar
Osborne played a crucial role in hiring over 50 artists, musicians, actors,
singers and dancers to adapt the 1988 Broadway Musical, The Gospel At Colonus, in order
to film it. The musical is conceived and
adapted by Lee Breuer while the music is by Bob Telson. The Gospel At
Colonus is based on an adaptation of Sophocles’ Oedipus At Colonus
in the version by Robert Fitzgerald and incorporating passages from both
Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex and Antigone in the versions by Dudley
Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald, which are published as The Oedipus Cycle of
Sophocles, a Harvest/HBJ Book, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.
Progressive Theater allows the sharing of theater magic with many people in neighboring communities that don’t have access to theater or live entertainment by urging audience members to purchase extra tickets that are then donated to students from low income families. Through this Progressive Theater is increasing accessibility to the stage, films and theaters that involve misrepresented people and important issues that need to be talked about. The ability to perform or direct culturally and emotionally sensitive theater and films is a very crucial job, because it has the power to garner the emotions and perceptions of the audiences. Through this Progressive Theater can be a catalyst for change in the way people behave in the future and how communities thrive with each other in terms of sensitive topics such as genders, race, and religion. Progressive Theater aims to achieve all of the above with their enlightening work.
To get involved, donate to Progressive Theater, purchase a ticket to The Gospel at Colonus. The show will stream in December.