HELBI

Better late than never, the “Gospel at Colonus,” an American musical based on Sophocles’ tragedy “Oedipus at Colonus” is being staged, tonight only, at the Herod Atticus Theater. In the play, an African-American plays the role of a preacher and his congregation is the Chorus. In the theater under the Parthenon, under a nearly full moon, Oedipus as a black preacher will ask for redemption... This performance will show us whether the musical broadens the horizons of ancient tragedy. As director Lee Breuer stated at a news conference, Sophocles put on his original version of the play at the nearby Theater of Dionysos. It is as if the “Gospel at Colonus” is returning home, in another dimension. Oscar nominee Bob Telson has composed the score and adapted the play. He too was present at the news conference, as was United States Ambassador Daniel Speckhard. The musical is being staged under the auspices of the US Embassy and is a joint production between the American Hellenic Arts Center of Halandri and the Greek Festival. It features the famous Blind Boys of Alabama gospel group.

60 Years of Fulbright in Greece: Executive director Artemis Zenetou, the board of directors and the staff of the Fulbright Foundation are holding an anniversary event for the foundation’s 60 years in Greece at Zappeion Hall’s peristyle on June 25, at 8 p.m. Parliament Speaker Dimitris Sioufas, Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and US Ambassador Daniel Speckhard are among those who will speak at the event. Two Fulbright alumni also will speak: author, translator and professor emeritus at Princeton, Edmund Keeley, and Emmanouela Truli, of the Hellenic Competition Commission who studied at Columbia University Law School under the program. (For further information, call 210.729.2041.)

Farewell and many thanks: The board of trustees of the American College of Greece held a reception and dinner at the the Deree College library last night to honor President John S. Bailey and his wife Irene, “in celebration of their decades of distinguished service” to the college.