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Aaron Sheley stars as Oedipus in the Greek tragedy-Western film “Oedipus Marshall” showing Thursday at the Avalon Theater. The 700-year-old Noh-mask worn by Sheley is a technique from Japanese theater.
International filmmaker Javier Tellez has gathered an unusual cast for a film showing Thursday night at the Avalon Theatre.
The son of psychiatrists, Tellez likes to use amateur actors and actresses with mental illnesses to show they’re not all that different from the rest of us.
Set in the historic ghost town of Ashcroft, 14 miles outside of Aspen, “Oedipus Marshall” is a Western based on Sophocles’ Greek tragedy “Oedipus Rex.” The film also incorporates Japanese theater techniques. The actors wear Japanese Noh-masks — 700-year-old wooden painted masks used in Asian theater.
“I think what the director is trying to say, is to concentrate on the message — not the messenger,” said Ken Strychalski, who attended the world premier of the film in Aspen. “The dialogue is so profound.” And the Aspen scenery is magnificent.
The film showed for eight weeks at the Aspen Art Museum, who funded the project.
The Venezuelan-born filmmaker has lived in New York City for the past 10 years, collaborating with consumers of mental health institutions around the world to create short stories depicting the plight of the mentally ill and their interaction with society.
Tellez believes that by working with those who have been pushed to society’s periphery — as is often the case with the mentally ill — he is able to “represent those who have been condemned to invisibility,” while preserving their human dignity.
Tellez came to Grand Junction’s Oasis Clubhouse — a voluntary, recovery-oriented program for people with mental illness issues — to recruit actors for the film. People who participate in Oasis Clubhouse are referred to as members — not clients or patients. The program prefers to focus on who people are — including their strengths, abilities and talents — rather than what they have.
One of the clubhouse members, Aaron Sheley, played the lead role of Oedipus in the movie and co-wrote the script. Sheley showed Tellez one of the scripts he had written over the years, and Tellez asked him to write a Western based on “Oedipus Rex.”
“That specific archetype is embedded in psychology. It’s one I knew well having taken psychology and film theory courses. I tried to adapt the script as close to Oedipus as I could while still keeping the colloquialisms of the old West,” Sheley said. Sheley, 26, is a graduate of the University of Southern California film school.
There are 14 Oasis Clubhouse members in the film. Amorita Randall plays one of the townspeople. She’s an Iraqi war veteran and a survivor of Hurricane Katrina. She has post traumatic stress syndrome.
The actors were transported to Aspen where they worked 14-hour days for two weeks putting together the film. Leaving Grand Junction and everything familiar for two weeks required courage.
“Their challenges were really great,” said Oasis Clubhouse director Alex Sherwood.
“I think it’s equivalent to climbing a 14er,” said Strychalski, who is vocational director of Colorado West Mental Health. “They dealt with rain, snow, sleet, heat and high-altitude sickness. They had physical challenges on top of the mental. It was a real self-affirming thing.”
Members of the clubhouse have problems ranging from extreme sports injuries, war injuries, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders and post traumatic stress syndrome. Some people’s problems are cyclical.
The clubhouse is not a clinical facility.
“It’s a good drop-in place for people who just want to talk, check-in, are having trouble. The Clubhouse has shown to be a good portal,” Strychalski said. “Our job is to ask what we can do to help people in the community to stay well and stay out of crisis, i.e. hospitalization. We try and give our clients support before it escalates to hospitalization.”
The Clubhouse is open Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The facility is funded by Colorado West Mental Health — a regional mental health center.
Sheley tries to stop by the Clubhouse once a week. He said he’s made friends there who will be friends for the rest of his life. “It’s a good place to go and meet people, to get out what’s bothering you, a place to let go of your baggage,” Sheley said.
With so much local interest in the film, Strychalski and Sherwood got permission from the Aspen Art Museum to bring the movie to Grand Junction. The film showing is a benefit for Colorado West Mental Health, in support of the Oasis Clubhouse, and Hilltop’s Life Adjustment Program for traumatically brain-injured adults.
“Oedipus Marshall” will appeal to film buffs, those who follow classical literature, and people who want to see a film made with local actors,” said Strychalski. “It’s an Indie film. I think it could end up at a film festival.”
Another motive in bringing the film to Grand Junction is to increase public awareness of mental illness.
“One in four people will be affected in their lifetime — either by being clinically depressed or so anxious as to start being dysfunctional. Some form of mental illness is the major cause of workplace illness,” Strychalski said.
There will be a reception at 7 p.m. before the showing of the 31-minute film. Following the film will be a panel discussion involving the actors and actresses.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com
The son of psychiatrists, Tellez likes to use amateur actors and actresses with mental illnesses to show they’re not all that different from the rest of us.
Set in the historic ghost town of Ashcroft, 14 miles outside of Aspen, “Oedipus Marshall” is a Western based on Sophocles’ Greek tragedy “Oedipus Rex.” The film also incorporates Japanese theater techniques. The actors wear Japanese Noh-masks — 700-year-old wooden painted masks used in Asian theater.
“I think what the director is trying to say, is to concentrate on the message — not the messenger,” said Ken Strychalski, who attended the world premier of the film in Aspen. “The dialogue is so profound.” And the Aspen scenery is magnificent.
The film showed for eight weeks at the Aspen Art Museum, who funded the project.
The Venezuelan-born filmmaker has lived in New York City for the past 10 years, collaborating with consumers of mental health institutions around the world to create short stories depicting the plight of the mentally ill and their interaction with society.
Tellez believes that by working with those who have been pushed to society’s periphery — as is often the case with the mentally ill — he is able to “represent those who have been condemned to invisibility,” while preserving their human dignity.
Tellez came to Grand Junction’s Oasis Clubhouse — a voluntary, recovery-oriented program for people with mental illness issues — to recruit actors for the film. People who participate in Oasis Clubhouse are referred to as members — not clients or patients. The program prefers to focus on who people are — including their strengths, abilities and talents — rather than what they have.
One of the clubhouse members, Aaron Sheley, played the lead role of Oedipus in the movie and co-wrote the script. Sheley showed Tellez one of the scripts he had written over the years, and Tellez asked him to write a Western based on “Oedipus Rex.”
“That specific archetype is embedded in psychology. It’s one I knew well having taken psychology and film theory courses. I tried to adapt the script as close to Oedipus as I could while still keeping the colloquialisms of the old West,” Sheley said. Sheley, 26, is a graduate of the University of Southern California film school.
There are 14 Oasis Clubhouse members in the film. Amorita Randall plays one of the townspeople. She’s an Iraqi war veteran and a survivor of Hurricane Katrina. She has post traumatic stress syndrome.
The actors were transported to Aspen where they worked 14-hour days for two weeks putting together the film. Leaving Grand Junction and everything familiar for two weeks required courage.
“Their challenges were really great,” said Oasis Clubhouse director Alex Sherwood.
“I think it’s equivalent to climbing a 14er,” said Strychalski, who is vocational director of Colorado West Mental Health. “They dealt with rain, snow, sleet, heat and high-altitude sickness. They had physical challenges on top of the mental. It was a real self-affirming thing.”
Members of the clubhouse have problems ranging from extreme sports injuries, war injuries, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders and post traumatic stress syndrome. Some people’s problems are cyclical.
The clubhouse is not a clinical facility.
“It’s a good drop-in place for people who just want to talk, check-in, are having trouble. The Clubhouse has shown to be a good portal,” Strychalski said. “Our job is to ask what we can do to help people in the community to stay well and stay out of crisis, i.e. hospitalization. We try and give our clients support before it escalates to hospitalization.”
The Clubhouse is open Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The facility is funded by Colorado West Mental Health — a regional mental health center.
Sheley tries to stop by the Clubhouse once a week. He said he’s made friends there who will be friends for the rest of his life. “It’s a good place to go and meet people, to get out what’s bothering you, a place to let go of your baggage,” Sheley said.
With so much local interest in the film, Strychalski and Sherwood got permission from the Aspen Art Museum to bring the movie to Grand Junction. The film showing is a benefit for Colorado West Mental Health, in support of the Oasis Clubhouse, and Hilltop’s Life Adjustment Program for traumatically brain-injured adults.
“Oedipus Marshall” will appeal to film buffs, those who follow classical literature, and people who want to see a film made with local actors,” said Strychalski. “It’s an Indie film. I think it could end up at a film festival.”
Another motive in bringing the film to Grand Junction is to increase public awareness of mental illness.
“One in four people will be affected in their lifetime — either by being clinically depressed or so anxious as to start being dysfunctional. Some form of mental illness is the major cause of workplace illness,” Strychalski said.
There will be a reception at 7 p.m. before the showing of the 31-minute film. Following the film will be a panel discussion involving the actors and actresses.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com
Go & Do
What: “Oedipus Marshall” — a film by Javier Tellez
Where: Avalon Theatre, 645 Main St. When: Thursday, Oct. 5, 7-9 p.m. Cost: $12 advance; $15 at the door Information: 241-6099 |
