Aug. 20-22 and Aug. 27-29, 2020
Streamed live on this page, on Facebook and on YouTube
“But even so, I want to go back home, / and every day I hope that day will come” — Odysseus, Book 5.219-220
For more than 25 centuries, the human race has been fascinated with and inspired by The Odyssey. Oklahoma Contemporary brought it live into your home.
In partnership with the Kirkpatrick Foundation, Oklahoma Contemporary livestreamed a six-day reading series of Emily Wilson’s recent translation of Homer’s The Odyssey, an immediate, accessible and boldly contemporary version of the ancient text. Working with a diverse group of local and national actors, musicians, artists and public officials, — including Emily Wilson herself — as readers, Oklahoma Contemporary’s broadcast included all 24 books of the epic poem.
This marathon reading series aimed to digitally re-create the experience of listening together to a tale told thousands of times, throughout histories and across continents — to see if we can find ourselves in Odysseus’ ever-turning voyage to find home.
Viewers could virtually drop in to watch a favorite actor, artist or personality or follow along book by book each night.
Thursday, Aug. 20
7 p.m., Book One: Leslie Feist, indie singer-songwriter better known as Feist
7:30 p.m., Book Two: Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt
8 p.m., Book Three: Shahzad Ismaily, composer and musician
8:30 p.m., Book Four: Octavio Abúndez, Guadalajara-based conceptual artist
Friday, Aug. 21
7 p.m., Book Five: Poet and professor Ken Hada
7:30 p.m., Book Six: Ali Ahn, actress known for Liberal Arts, Supernatural and Louie
8 p.m., Book Seven: Muna Malik, L.A.-based multidisciplinary artist
8:30 p.m., Book Eight: Lost Ogle founder Patrick Riley
Saturday, Aug. 22
7 p.m., Book Nine: Tom Todoroff, acting coach, actor (known for Star Trek: Voyager) and producer
7:30 p.m., Book 10: heather ahtone, senior curator at the First Americans Museum
8 p.m., Book 11: Joseph Keckler, singer, musician, performing artist and writer
8:30 p.m., Book 12: Kate Soper, composer, performer and writer
Thursday, Aug. 27
7 p.m., Book 13: Bethany Joy Collins, a visual artist whose work has explored The Odyssey
7:30 p.m., Book 14: Robert Ruiz, president of the Scissortail Community Development Corporation
8 p.m., Book 15: Bryan Cogman, writer and producer of Game of Thrones
8:30 p.m., Book 16: Calle Dos Cinco executive director Gloria Torres
Friday, Aug. 28
7 p.m., Book 17: Raffi Barsoumian, actor known for The Code, The Vampire Diaries and Shameless
7:30 p.m., Book 18: Oklahoma City Councilwoman Nikki Nice
8 p.m., Book 19: Nick Waterhouse, singer, songwriter and record producer
8:30 p.m., Book 20: Rebecca Nagle, Cherokee writer and host of This Land podcast
Saturday, Aug. 29
7 p.m., Book 21: Lee Ranaldo, musician and co-founder of Sonic Youth
7:30 p.m., Book 22: Nicole Poole, OKC visual and performing artist
8 p.m., Book 23: Bebe Neuwirth, Emmy-award winning actress (known for Frasier and the Broadway revival of Chicago)
8:30 p.m., Book 24: Emily Wilson, MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellow and translator of The Odyssey
The Odyssey Livestream Presented by Oklahoma Contemporary and the Kirkpatrick Foundation Executive Producer | Louisa McCune Writer | Homer Translator | Emily Wilson Artistic Director and Producer | Jeremiah Matthew Davis Lighting Designer | Carl Faber Graphic Designers | Luke Atkinson and Stephen Walker MCs | Pablo Barrera, Christina Beatty, Jeremiah Matthew Davis, Jamie L.M. Thompson, Eddie Walker
