“Antigone” – Radio Drama Podcast from TheatreUNCA

TheatreUNCA will bring Sophocles’ ancient Greek tragedy Antigone to life as a radio drama podcast with an online debut set for 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18 on the UNC Asheville Department of Drama’s Vimeo channel.  Visit drama.unca.edu/engage/theatreunca to register for this free event and receive a password-protected link to listen to the show between Oct 18 and 25.

This all-student performance will be directed by senior Bri Stewart, and will feature a new translation and adaptation by UNC Asheville students working under Sophie Mills, professor of classics. The play chronicles Antigone’s decision to bury her deceased brother – a former ruler killed in battle against a rival for the throne – despite a decree by the new king that he be neither mourned nor buried.

This production has challenged UNC Asheville’s students to adapt not just the language and themes of the ancient drama, but every aspect of logistics and performance to remain physically distanced while rehearsing and recording.

“I think one thing that I have learned from doing a performance during a pandemic is really honing in on open communication,” says senior Lindsey Ratliff, who is the sound designer of the show. “The production of Antigone has been a great (yet stressful at times) experience for me to grow as a future professional. Everyone working together on this production has been open to new ideas to make this show the best it can be.”

The cast includes Mack Moseley, Lindsey Wheeler, Thomas Townsend, Maycen Ellis, Brian Badesco, Jada Smith, Sam Pate, Sam McIntosh, Lilly Huebner and Ria Mark.

Adapting to the exigencies of COVID-19, UNC Asheville’s Department of Drama and Dance will limit the rest of its fall mainstage TheatreUNCA productions to small, distanced on-campus audiences. The Pandemic Theatre Project will engage invited campus audiences to participate in a series of live performance experiments Oct. 26-Nov. 5; and Hatch(ed), a live dance performance by students choreographed by Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance Mustapha Braimah, will be staged for a limited campus audience on Saturday, Nov. 7.