'Antigone' to close out UofL Theatre Arts season

University of Louisville Theatre Arts presents "Antigone" in the dramatic adaptation by the great 20th century French playwright Jean Anouilh April 19-24 in the historic Playhouse Theatre.

Originally created for a World War II-occupied Paris and adapted for Broadway in 1946, this version of a classic Greek legend presents an eclectic mash-up of modern and classical, with contemporary parallels that are both striking and provocative.

Antigone's brother leads a failed civil uprising and she is forbidden to bury his body by the ruler, Creon. Her decision to risk execution and bury her brother forces those around her to decide whether personal principles are more important than public duty.   

Andrew D. Harris, associate artistic director at StageOne Family Theatre, is directing.

“What really attracts to me to this version is that it doesn’t so much cast Antigone as the protagonist and Creon as the antagonist. They may be viewed as co-protagonists. There’s a central conflict between these two. Each of these characters makes a case for their point of view. We are not led to immediately decide who is right. It’s very much left up to the audience,” Harris said. “One of the major flaws with each character is they don’t listen to each other. They are unwilling and incapable of seeing their situation from a viewpoint other than their own, which is not unlike challenges we see in the world today.”

Harris said his work with the production is the result of several years of collaboration between StageOne Family Theatre and UofL’s Theatre Arts Department.

“It’s been a delightful experience and I can’t wait for it to end up on the stage,” he said.

The Playhouse Theatre is on UofL’s Belknap Campus, 1911 S. Third St. All plays start at 8 p.m. with 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinees. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for faculty, alumni and seniors and $8 for UofL students.