Published on February 21, 2015 | by Erica Wilk Photography by Davin Allan, University of Toronto Mississauga Drama Club President
0It’s (not quite) all Greek to me
University drama club brings back an old play with modern twists
When people think about student-run theater, Greek female-led tragedies are not usually the first thought off the top of their head. The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) Drama Club’s recent production of Antigone brings all of these things together.
Second-year UTM and Sheridan Theatre & Drama Studies students, Bryn Kennedy and Rachel VanDuzer, directed the show. The production is staged off of French playwright Jean Anouilh’s translation of the Greek tragedy.
VanDuzer said that a play focusing on the story of a lead female character in a play is not something she or her directing partner have seen lately.
“We wanted to pick something with a strong female lead. We wanted that to be kind of the center of our vision. So then that’s kind of how we decided on Antigone,” she said.
Antigone is a play originally written by Sophocles of Ancient Greece, and follows the story of Antigone, one of Oedipus’s daughters. Her brother is killed in battle, a traitor to their family, and their uncle forbids his burial. Antigone goes against the wishes of her uncle, and buries her brother, defying fate and her role in society.
“This story is about a strong woman who wants to do what she wants to do, and sacrifices everything for it, and I think on some levels, that’s relatable to other young adults,” said second-year Theatre & Drama Studies student Alma Sarai, who played one of the three Chorus roles in the play. “It was a show that everyone could appreciate for some reason. Whether it was because of the relationship, or the comedic aspects of it, yes there was comedy in a tragedy, who knew! It was a show for the people.”
The UTM drama club production began its journey began in October 2014, where Kennedy and VanDuzer hosted casting calls for UTM students. First-year UTM and Sheridan Theatre & Drama Studies student Khira Wieting was cast as the title role of Antigone.
“It was the biggest learning curve I’ve had so far in acting, it was the most substantial role I’ve been in,” said Wieting.
Antigone was her first production with the club.
Wieting said that one of her favourite moments of being a part of the production was the very first show they performed for an audience.
“After taking my bow on the first- the opening, that just meant success to me. And then that, we took everything that we did, and we turned it into something wonderful,” said Wieting.
As a first-year student, Wieting said she was a little wary of working with the upper-year students. She said she’d always seen them at a higher standard, because of the program, but found that the team was supportive and helpful during the whole process.
“Working with actors such as Brett [Houghton], who played Creon, was phenomenal. He was really responsive during our most intense moments,” said Wieting. “I couldn’t have asked for a better scene partner in that respect.”
Rehearsals were carefully organized so that the students involved with the play could manage schoolwork alongside their voluntary participation in Antigone. The practices began on Friday evenings, and all-day Sundays, but rehearsing became more frequent and intense as opening night approached.
“Everyone who is a student knows the struggle. And I think that struggle almost fueled us to want to be there, and want to do better, and do something that we wanted to do,” said Sarai.
“It was hard, but being an actor, that’s what I want to do. So it was a great training process in that sense,” said Wieting.
VanDuzer and Kennedy focused on exploring fate as a theme and visual element throughout the production. They incorporated a concept of the red string of fate into every character’s costume.
“Each actor had some type of red string on their body. […] We wanted the characters to be bound to the story, in that they have no choice but to tell it [the story]. So that if the show were to keep going, it would keep on this continuous cycle,” said VanDuzer.
Wieting said that Antigone’s red string was visible as a pair of gladiator shoes. “That signifies her being really grounded in her goals, and in her ideas. And so having that quote bloodline of strength, it’s something she can either a, walk all over, or b, use to guide her steps.”
The show ran from February 5-7 at the UTM campus, where it played to almost the entire UTM and Sheridan drama program students, and family and friends of the cast.
UTM drama club shows cost $10 per ticket for students. Wieting said it’s an easy way for any student to see a play.
“The doors are always open to a theatre, regardless of where you’re coming from or who you’re showing it to,” said Wieting.
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