Savannah Stage Co. gives Greek tragedy 'Antigone' a post-apocalyptic makeover
The mere thought of speaking in front of a crowd, a sea of eyes peering back as the lights go up, is an absolute nightmare for some people. For actors, it’s just an average Friday night. Courage looks different for everyone, but how many of us would be bold enough to risk our lives to fight for our beliefs — and would it even change anything? As one teenager risks it all in Savannah Stage Company’s (SSC) “Antigone,” you’ll find that speaking up can make a world of difference once those initial jitters fade away.
“We tend to not want to stand out. We definitely don't want to lose our lives over something that we believe in, and we've seen this over and over and over in history,” Director Ashley Cook said. “To me, that's the most poignant theme and the most relevant to everyone all of the time.”
This type of fear makes “Antigone” the perfect production for Cook’s directorial debut as she enters a new role in the public eye, a challenge that benefits creatives of all kinds.
When artists stop taking risks, we stop asking questions about the world and our role in it. To combat this, SSC encourages actors to push their skills and understandings to the next level by embracing bravery, imagination and growth from auditions to the final bow. In the final production in a season of experimentation, SSC embraces all three of these tenets in a unique twist on a timeless tale.
Ancient Greek tragedy gets a post-apocalyptic makeover
Written by Ancient Greek playwright Sophocles in 441 BC, “Antigone” follows a young princess caught between doing what’s right and saving her own life when her brother dies in battle. When her uncle, King Creon, deems him a traitor, Antigone revolts against his cruelty. Despite Creon’s threats to sentence her to death, she decides to give her brother a proper burial. Inspired by Antigone’s bravery, other characters also start questioning the man-made laws that led to Creon’s decision.
While the SSC play follows the same basic plot, one major twist sets this performance apart. This Antigone, played by teen company member Jada Banks, battles the traditions of a post-apocalyptic society. Nevertheless, this fictional world has plenty of relevance in the real world.
“The circumstances are a little bit different than they would be in modern-day times. But at the same time, the heart of it, which is war and tearing families and nations apart, is still very much a part of our reality,” Cook said. “Highlighting what warring, feuding families and nations go through makes it all the more real and can really immerse the audience in [the story] and help them feel a connection to the text."
Teen cast explores bravery to do what is right in "Antigone"
To further highlight this connection, Cook has incorporated several experiments that envelop audiences in the story.
In most SSC productions, the entire cast remains onstage and present during each scene rather than waiting in the wings. This creates a seamless experience as some characters speak and others go about their days in the background. To push this practice and its immersive effects even further, “Antigone” experiments with shadowcasting, inviting the audience onstage during the performance so they can step directly into what SSC calls the world of the play.
A post-apocalyptic twist also calls for a bit of imaginative set design, requiring fine details that make the world of the play feel less like 2023 Savannah and more like a post-disaster reality. In crafty hands, discarded materials become useful tools, and unusual items become prized weapons. Similarly, the royal family’s unchecked power and coveted riches take different forms.
But just like in the real world, traces of the past remain in the play, namely in the music. While refining production details, Cook sought a blend of traditional Greek music and modern metal music to fit this adaptation. This blend of old and new mirrors the play’s biggest questions as the characters debate the delicate balance between tradition and progress, something that’s not altogether unfamiliar in the modern world.
“There’s always some protest, somebody fighting for something all throughout history. And that's why I feel like these plays are so timeless because it can reflect what has happened in the world, and it can reflect people's feelings,” Banks said.
Much like Antigone’s fighting spirit stirs conversations in the play, one person’s feelings can spark change as they question long-standing laws and traditions in the real world. While the details and approaches differ over time, the motivations behind them are familiar to many, especially the teen company cast members.
“It's something that younger people can relate to,” Banks said. “If we really believe that [something] is wrong, we're gonna fight it, and that's what Antigone does throughout this entire play.”
While this fight is a major part of the arts, it’s not the only benefit of creativity. For many, creativity provides a sense of purpose and an outlet for exploring new ideas and forming connections. For SSC members, that means stepping out of their comfort zones to experiment and dig deeper into their characters.
For Banks, it also means developing close relationships with the community at SSC and digging into the importance of the arts in everyday life.
“Life is just a big creative thing. You have to be creative to do so many different things,” Banks said. “That's what I love about my life. I love the art aspect of everything.”
There is always something new to discover in both art and life. Those discoveries have brought us a long way from Ancient Greece, but each discovery brings a fresh set of questions the current generation must tackle together. The resulting conversations might be uncomfortable, but as Cook said, “It’s scary to be brave, but somebody's got to do it.”
If You Go >>
What: Savannah Stage Company presents "Antigone"
When: 8 p.m., Nov. 17; 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., Nov. 18; 8 p.m., Nov. 19
Where: Tybee Post Theater,10 Van Horne Drive, Tybee Island
Tickets: Start at $20, tybeeposttheater.org
Savannah Stage Company’s production of “Antigone” will run November 17-19 at Tybee Post Theater. Tickets start at $20. For more information, visit savannahstagecompany.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Stage Co.'s production of 'Antigone' an immersive experience
