Antigone is the daughter of the great Odysseus. When you’re born to parents as great as hers, the pressure is mounting from the very start of your life.
That pressure grows exponentially when her brother, Polynices, is killed. King Creon rules that under no circumstances may Polynices be mourned. If he is to be defied, the punishment is death by stoning. Antigone, brave in her own right, ignores the threat and goes through with a ceremony to honor her late brother. Antigone tells the story of family, the truth of the divine, and how far one is willing to go to be loyal.
Antigone, written by the great Sophocles, is a classic piece of Greek theater. It has been performed for centuries all over the world, and tells a timeless story that will entrance audience members to the core. The cast of Antigone has the opportunity to share the truth of a woman that is strong, and a life that is meaningful.
Nov. 4-5, Nov. 10-12, 2022
New Play Initiative: ‘Memento Mori’
By West End House School of Arts Directed by Neil Kristian Scharnick
In 2013, Carthage Theatre took its annual new play overseas for the first time, bringing A Clamour of Rooks to Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin. Ten years later, Carthage Theatre is heading back to Ireland—to Dublin and Killarney—with Memento Mori. This 14th installment in Carthage’s New Play Initiative is being developed in cooperation with Ireland’s newest theatre school, West End House School of Arts in Killarney. Memento Mori is a deeply personal project for its ensemble of creators. This fantastical story is woven from the collective mind of the ensemble and directors, all grappling with life’s biggest questions: Why are we here? Why does that matter? And what comes next?
Since 2009 Carthage Theatre has been commissioning acclaimed playwrights to create plays and work with Carthage students in the New Play Initiative program. These playwrights’ accolades include winning Oscars, Emmys, Jeffs, Obies, Golden Globes, and more. Through the New Play Initiative, students have the opportunity to make history and to experience the joys and challenges that come with being a part of the creative process. The production is not just a new play for the season, but a brand new play for the world of theatre. Many of these productions have gone on to win honors and awards at the annual Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. This year, in collaboration with the West End House School of Arts, Carthage students themselves have been given the chance to collaborate on an original play, making each and every participant in the project a playwright.
Dec. 8-10, 2022
‘In The Moment’
Directed by Stacy Pottinger
Showtimes: Dec. 8-10 | 7:30 p.m.
The annual fall dance production, this year titled In the Moment, provides opportunities for Carthage dancers to embody various dance works and present them on the Carthage mainstage. These dance works include those created for them by guest artists, traditional works that have been re-staged and given new life, and new insights by Carthage performers and students. These dedicated dancers and choreographers work diligently over the course of the fall semester to bring together their show, starting with dancer auditions early in September. This year’s title, In the Moment, serves as a reminder that performance, no matter what form, is a moment. The performers will strive through every step to be nothing less than present.
In The Moment features a variety of choreographic voices, including regional guest artists and faculty, Stacy Pottinger, Kristina Saldarelli, Jenny Barreca, and Karlies Kelley Vedula. The program will also premiere works by Carthage’s very own emerging choreographers.
Fml: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life, tells the story of Jo, a high school junior in the oh-so-boring town of LaGrange, Illinois. Jo’s life is that of a normal teenager: homework, boredom, and love interests. One fateful day, however, her English teacher assigns the famous novel The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. The book strikes a creative chord for Jo, and with support from her friends she ventures down the path of writing an autobiographical graphic novel. Suddenly, however, Jo’s confidence and newfound outlet are shaken when she becomes a victim of gay bashing. Always having been confident in her sexuality, Jo is faced with the task of loving herself for being different. Fml: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life will remind every audience member what it means to love art, love oneself, and even - if you dig really really deep - to love high school.
March 23-25, 2023
‘Lungs’
By Duncan Macmillan Directed by Marielle Shiring ’23
Showtimes: March 23-25 | 7:30 p.m.
M and W are a young couple, and when they learn they are parents-to-be, their relationship is put to the ultimate test. Under such circumstances, the pair find themselves questioning their own capabilities to raise a child successfully. Not only that, but the world seems to be against them, potential dangers presented daily. Lungs tells the story of the gift of life: it’s beauty, and the fear of it, all at the same time.
March 31-April 1, 2023
‘Away From the Mirror’
Choreographed by Carthage dance students
Showtimes: March 31 - April 1 | 7:30 p.m.
The Theatre Department presents its annual student dance concert, “Away From the Mirror,” providing Carthage’s emerging artists opportunities to develop their inspirations through dance, to share in the development of their own production, and to engage in community discourse. The program will feature new dance works developed by dance minors in a less-produced revelation of the dance-making process. At the beginning of each new school year, dance minors are invited to share their ideas for new dance works, the most promising of which are selected for inclusion in the annual “Away From the Mirror” concert. Throughout the fall semester, students then work both individually and with faculty to develop and hone their choreographic processes. In the spring semester, they audition a cast for their work.
Throughout the spring semester, student choreographers then teach their dancers their new pieces while undergoing a stringent review process by an advisory committee of faculty and students. Students are encouraged throughout the process to step “away from the mirror,” turning their focus away from the outward appearance of their work and the common “standards” of dance and instead onto the intrinsic values and resonances of their movement. The result is a beautiful exploration of what it means to be a dancer today, what it takes to bring new dance work to life, and what drives us to dance in the first place.
April 28-29-May 4-6, 2023
‘Legally Blonde: The Musical
By Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach Directed by Martin McClendon and Matthew Hougland Musical direction by Matthew Hougland
Showtimes: April 28-29 - May 4-6 | 7:30 p.m. April 30 | 3 p.m.
Elle Woods is the epitome of “It Girl.” UCLA Delta Nu President, fashion phenom, and a natural blonde, she has it all! Well, everything except a ring on her finger from her perfect boyfriend and future senator, Warner Huntington III. Elle and all of her sorority sisters are absolutely positive that these two are meant to be. Her life takes a turn for the worse, however, when instead of getting down on one knee, he dumps her… IN PUBLIC! Even after the humiliation of a lifetime, Elle Woods does not back down from a fight. Vowing to win back her man, she follows him to Harvard Law School - ready to wow him with her smarts. Instead, he shocks her with an engagement to another woman; a law student and a brunette! Elle fights her way through Harvard, and on her journey, she learns more than she thought possible about love, personal strength, and the world around her. Legally Blonde reminds audiences to open their minds to a life outside of their reach and that every one of us is more than just a pretty face.
Legally Blonde originally premiered on Broadway in 2007 and won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical. Filled to the brim with energetic songs, full group dance numbers, and characters sure to inspire, this show is sure to please. Prepare to laugh, cry, and sing along to Legally Blonde!
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