by Daniel Ribera
Contributing writer
Theatre at Southeastern is opening the play season with a production called “Antigone: At War,” which is a new take on the classic work by Sophocles. The show was adapted and is being directed by Assistant Professor/Costume Designer Kathleen Hardgrove and opens on Thursday, Sept. 29.
The theatre department has birthed a new concept for a classic work. They have taken the Theban play “Antigone” and incorporated elements of modern dance, rock and elements of both visual and auditory media, explained Hardgrove.
“We’re breaking down the pedestals on which these works have been placed, putting them in a blender and seeing what comes out,” said Hardgrove.
Hardgrove said she is attempting to take the classic works of Sophocles, which were written for more of an auditory audience, breaking it down and recreating it for a more visual and multimedia oriented audience. She stated, “It is designed to take things that are familiar and look at them through an unfamiliar lens.”
According to Hardgrove, most of the promoting for the upcoming show is being done on campus and not as much in the surrounding community due to it having “an R rating.”
The show has both graphic language and mature thematic elements. “This is definitely not your grandma’s Greek theatre, it’s ours,” stated Elena Lewis, a senior acting/directing major, who plays Queen Eurydice, the kind wife of the antagonist King Creon.
At a run-through of the show, Tanner Risner, a sophomore acting/directing major who plays Haemon, the young fiancé of the heroine, Antigone, and son of Creon said, “I can’t wait for people to see it.”
“It is definitely a new style that will get people more focused on the show,” stated Risner.
“Antigone: At War” premiered on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the new Playhouse which is located next to the baseball field on campus. The show will continue the nights of Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15 as well and follow the same schedule as the previous week. Tickets can be purchased at the Visual and Performing Arts Center located directly across from the new Bloomer Sullivan Arena on First Avenue.
