DramaCentre '06 presents Antigone

RELEASED: Nov. 2, 2006

DANVILLE, KY—Centre College drama students will present a public production of Sophocles' Antigone, based on a version of the classic tragedy, The Burial at Thebes, by Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet Seamus Heaney. Under the direction of Vessela Warner, Centre visiting professor of dramatic arts, the performances will take place on Nov. 7, 8, 10 and 11 at 8 p.m. in Weisiger Theatre at the College's Norton Center for the Arts on campus.

Seamus Heaney was commissioned to write the translation as part of the centenary celebration of the Abbey Theatre in Ireland in 2004, and his writing was influenced by the War in Iraq. The Irish Times said Heaney "takes Sophocles' dense, concentrated poetry and decants it into a beautifully transparent contemporary idiom. Featuring striking versions of the choruses along with vivid text, The Burial at Thebes is a timeless commentary on the corrupting influence of power."

Three freshmen are debuting in the show: Taylor Erwin (Creon), Sarah Hargis (chorus) and Landon Berry (messenger/servant). Other cast members include: Karen Biscopink (Antigone), Meredith Bell (Ismene), Tyshaun Lang (Haemon), David Brown (Tiresias), Elizabeth Schildkret (Eurydice), Dan Burkey (chorus) and Drew McKinney (guard).

Sophocles' Antigone addresses conflicting duties. First staged in the fifth century B.C., the play tells of the struggle between Antigone and Creon, the king of Thebes. Creon has forbidden the burial of those who have rebelled against his rule. Antigone, soon to marry Creon's son, disobeys this edict to bury her brother Polyneices and places family duty above everything else.

"Throughout history, the conflict between Antigone and Creon has been viewed as a continuous attempt to balance the individual, domestic and intimate with the civic and public," comments Warner. "For that reason, Sophocles' tragedy has appealed to audiences in times of nation-building, social healing or state reformation."

Special guest artist Martha Peñaranda has designed the costumes for the production. Peñaranda, who resides in Texas, divides her time between theater design and the design and production of contemporary textile art works.

The show's scenic designer, Kristen Robinson, is a sophomore at Centre, and Jeff Meyer '99, the light designer, is currently pursuing a masters degree in lighting design at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

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