Second Year for Shakespeare Carolina Begins in July with Antigone

Quick Facts

The play, which is a translation by Judith Malina, will run July 12, 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 3 p.m. on July 15 at Winthrop University’s Johnson Theatre.

Brecht wrote his version of “Antigone” as a metaphor for Post World War II Germany and in recent years the piece has been produced to depict any of the myriad conflicts around the world.

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ROCK HILL, S.C. - Shakespeare Carolina returns to the Winthrop campus in July with one of its most challenging works to date - Bertold Brecht’s “Antigone.”

The play, which is a translation by Judith Malina, will run July 12, 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 3 p.m. on July 15 at Winthrop University’s Johnson Theatre.

This production marks the second full summer residency at Winthrop for Shakespeare Carolina. After last year’s successful runs of “Two Gentleman of Verona” and “The Tempest,” Shakespeare Carolina is poised to present “Antigone.” Brecht wrote his version of “Antigone” as a metaphor for Post World War II Germany and in recent years the piece has been produced to depict any of the myriad conflicts around the world.

Director Chris O’Neill said he did not necessarily want to draw a parallel to Iraq or Afghanistan with “Antigone.” “I would rather illustrate the universality of war, oppression, and blind obedience to the state, by setting the play in a non-time and a non-place,” he said.

The company also will experiment with using recycled materials to create props, costumes and set pieces. “I have been playing around with different techniques for building stage armor and I have discovered the joys of working with discarded inner tubes,” O’Neill said. “By keeping these big hunks of rubber out of the land fill, we not only make some really cool costume pieces, but we do our part to help the environment.”

Shakespeare Carolina is building on its brand of ‘in your face” controversial productions, bringing in The Clamor Sound Collective (Jill O’Neill and Joe Miller) to create an original score and David Hensley of Long Walk Productions to design and execute a collage of imagery and video to enhance the production.

“Antigone” features veteran Shakespeare Carolina actors, Sean Foley as Kreon, Katie Bearden as Antigone, George Pond as Hamon, and S. Wilson Lee as Tiresias and newcomer, Amy Thrift as Ismene. "Antigone" also features the talents of Winthrop University students, Zade and Ted Patterson, Courtney Williams, Nathan Kelly Rouse, Meg Smith and Sarah White.

Shakespeare Carolina is a culturally diverse organization that promotes color and gender blind casting. Shakespeare Carolina seeks to promote the universality of the classical canon to audiences that may not otherwise be exposed to the works of world’s greatest playwright. It is Shakespeare Carolina’s goal to grow into one of the region’s premiere cultural institutions, providing educational outreach as well as educational, technical and artistic opportunities for all segments of York County’s population.

Tickets are $15 adults, $10 seniors and students. They're available online at http://www.carolinatix.org/ and at the door.

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