Not many theatrical productions telegraph their denouements right up front, but the Central Coast Shakespeare Festival is taking the plunge with its first-ever fall production, Odysseus Dies at the End, in which, yes, the legendary Odysseus—played by Todd Long—does, indeed, expire.
Local playwright Weston Scott has adapted the fragments of a lost Sophocles play, penning a thoughtful and funny piece about the life of the fabled traveler from the perspective of the people caught in his wake.
Odysseus has traveled over many waters, flirted with disaster, and bested every foe—and his friends and family hate him for it. As he tries to escape a fateful prophecy, he faces a murderous son, a semi-devoted wife, a scorned sea-witch, a boy with a cow, the cow itself, and a Greek chorus, all trying to make sense of their lives when everything has always revolved around Odysseus.
Joining Long in the cast are Mark Klassen, Alicia Klein, Tyler Lopez, Heather MacLoid, Ashley Moses, Kaveh Naficy, Sophie Rhiannon, Gryphon Strom, and Jude Walker.
Pack a picnic and bring warm layers and lawn chairs for an evening of live theatre under the stars at the Filipponi Ranch. The show is scheduled for four performances only, Saturdays and Sundays October 4-5 and 11-12 at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m, and individual tickets are available on a “pay what you can” basis online or at the door.