Union Project
801 North Negley Avenue, Highland Park
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
March 23 – April 8, 2017
Written by Sophocles
Adapted by Alan Stanford
Directed by Alan Stanford
Role: Creon
Creon listens to provide counsel. (PHOTO: ALAN STANFORD)
Creon reacts to Oedipus’s self-made wounds. (PHOTO: ALAN STANFORD)
Critical Response
“As Creon—Jocasta’s brother and former ruler of Thebes—Johnny Lee Davenport delivers a sense of gravity essential to this character, like he alone is holding Oedipus and the city of Thebes to the earth, with his faultless sense of piety to the Gods, and a virtue so weighty that not even the threat of exile or death can lift it from him.
—Stuart Sheppard, Pittsburgh Quarterly (March 2017)
“Creon is strong, powerful and angry. Davenport plays him stately poise and tremendous self-confidence. He is amazing in the role.”
—Brian Edward, Burghvivant.com (March 26, 2017)
“Johnny Lee Davenport plays Oedipus’ brother-in-law Creon. Davenport has the perfectly imposing stage presence to counter Wilson’s Oedipus. There is quite an interesting bit of clever stage direction as Oedipus demands Creon be executed for supposedly attempting to undermine him.”
—George Hoover, Pittsburgh in the Round (March 28, 2017)
“Visually, the show drabs down after that, but—the voices. The cast Stanford has assembled do declaim with the richest and most melodious voices (give him credit, too, for retaining a kind of Sophoclean rhythm in the dialogue).”
—Michelle Pelecki, Pittsburgh City Paper (March 29, 2017)
“Shammen McCune and Johnny Lee Davenport are strong as Jocasta and Creon, she with a gathering, fearful urgency, he with a booming voice—an authoritarian personality to come. Linda Haston provides energy as the Leader of the Chorus, and James FitzGerald is still and chilling as Tiresius.”
—Christopher Rawson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (April 1, 2017)
Facebook Posts: “Saw this and it was fantastic!”—Castillo Breed (April 5, 2017) / “You should go see this! PICT’s plays are always so great, and Oedpipus will leave you feeling better about your own life.”—Lauren Gailey (April 4, 2017) / “Amazing show, amazing cast. Thanks PICT!!”—Joel Lambeth (March 30, 2017) / “Truly amazing show!”—Christine Thayer (March 31, 2017) / “This was a really good performance. I highly recommend.”—Mac Hoover (March 26, 2017) / “Excellent performance! Thank you, PICT Classic Theatre, for another great performance.”—Toni Yates (March 25, 2017) / “Amazing performance!”—Michael Buzzelli (March 26, 2017) / “Great show, great actors. Loved it”—Georgann Buzzelli (March 26, 2017) / “I watched it on its opening night with my class. It was a great play! I loved how the characters told the story; it shows that great actors improved event the best storyline.”—YoursTruly Soraya Benjamin (March 26, 2017)