When I taught my Greek mythology class most recently, we talked a lot about how the Greeks choose their heroes. Often our discussions ended up focusing on the redeeming power of suffering. Pain of any sort is huge in the Greek concept of what is heroic, and what is most essentially human.
The musical "The Gospel at Colonus" is based on Oedipus at Colonus, the last of three plays Sophocles wrote about the family of the Greek hero Oedipus. He, of course, is the man who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother, while trying very hard not to (it had been prophesied that he would). In Oedipus at Colonus, the cities of Athens and Thebes compete for the luck Oedipus can bring them by being buried in their city. Oedipus has acquired this power to bestow luck through his suffering. In fact, this power of his in death was part of the same prophecy that said he would kill his father and marry his mother.
The Gospel at Colonus uses the traditions of gospel music to bring new life to Sophocles' portrayal of power and wisdom gained through pain. If you don't have the chance to see it live in Charleston, hopefully you can rent the video sometime.
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