ANTIGONE

JULY 14-16, 2017, DIRECTED BY JACI KEAGY

Antigone brings Sophocles’ great tragic cycle to a close that begins with Oedipus Rex. Although all of the plays in the cycle demonstrate the superb skills of the playwright, Antigone is the most timeless of the three. The play deals with issues still relevant today- the abuse of political power, the importance of familial ties, and the subordinated status of women.

These themes are, of course, not the only important issues addressed by the play. Sophocles has created a literary masterpiece so rife with material for analysis, scholars have been studying Antigone for thousands of years, and there seems to be no end to the valuable insights derived from its passages.

Translated by Cornell theatre professor David Feldshuh, the play strikes the perfect balance between the original Greek and Shakespearean verse so OrangeMite audiences will have no difficulty following the story.  The corpse of Antigone’s brother Polyneices lies unmourned on the battlefield because Creon, her uncle, and the ruler, has forbidden any rites. She defies Creon’s law on the grounds that sacred law takes precedence over civil law and thus the action begins.

The play was performed with a cast of 12 at the Dover Community Library on July 14, 15, & 16, 2017 at 3700-3 Davidsburg Rd, Dover, PA.