Download draft release notes – ritter, dene, voss

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, October 10, 2007.
Media contact: Linda Litwack Publicity, 416-782-7837, [email protected]
November 9 – 25, 2007 in Toronto
NEW PLAY PROVES ANCIENT GREEK MASTERPIECE
ADDRESSES POST-9/11 ISSUES OF NATIONAL SECURITY
How does a young woman become an insurgent?
One Little Goat Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Antigone: Insurgency
(Sophocles Revisited), a contemporary look at the Ancient Greek classic on the problems of
national security versus terrorism. The play is written and directed by One Little Goat’s
Artistic Director, Adam Seelig.
The Equity production runs November 9 to 25, 2007 at the newly renovated Walmer
Centre Theatre, 188 Lowther Ave (one block north-west of Bloor and Spadina) in Toronto.
Show times are Tuesday-Saturday at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 / $10
students/seniors/artists/underemployed; $22/$12 in the final week; Sundays PWYC. For
information and tickets, call 416-915-0201 or visit www.OneLittleGoat.org.
Antigone: Insurgency follows the success of last year’s One Little Goat production, Ritter,
Dene, Voss (“If you like your theatre with substance…this is for you!” – Paula Citron; “****” –
Paul Isaacs, Eye Weekly). Ritter, Dene, Voss has been invited to Chicago’s Trap Door Theatre
with the original Toronto cast in December.
In this year’s production, Antigone: Insurgency, One Little Goat presents a provocative, post9/11 reworking of Sophocles’ masterpiece from the fifth-century BC. Drawing intriguing
parallels between the original Greek tragedy and current global politics, this revolutionary
production explores the socio-political repercussions of combating insurgency – the capture of
alleged terrorists in the name of homeland security (such as Toronto’s alleged homegrown cell in
2006), the mistaken confinement of innocent citizens (Maher Arar), and the radicalization of
world youth (2005 car-burning riots in France) – illustrating the ancient tragedy's direct
relevance to contemporary society.
The three-member cast features 2006 NOW Magazine “Artist to Watch” Cara Ricketts as
Antigone (Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Pusha Man), Richard Harte as the Chorus Leader
(Dream in High Park 2007) and stage and screen veteran Earl Pastko as Creon (Atom Egoyan’s
The Sweet Hereafter, Bruce McDonald’s Highway 61). Sets and costumes are by Jackie Chau
(Ritter, Dene, Voss; Singkil), with sound design by Kathy Zaborsky (2007 Dora Award
nominee for Goblin Market) and lighting design by Kate McKay (The Rat King).
- more -
ANTIGONE: INSURGENCY: ANCIENT PLAY MADE NEW - 2
The Antigone of Sophocles (441 BC) has inspired artists and audiences for over two millennia.
Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, defies Creon, the new king of Thebes, by burying her brother
Polynices, who died in his failed coup d'état against Thebes. She is caught in the act by Creon’s
guards and brought before the king. From there the tragedy unfolds.
Director and playwright Adam Seelig offers a version that follows Sophocles’ original order,
adapting each scene to create contemporary parallels and stylistic innovations. For example, the
many voices of the traditional Greek Chorus are generated through audio technology and an
elaborate sound design. Similarly, the speeches of Creon, the consummate politician, incorporate
relevant phrases and sound-bites from current world leaders (sometimes to ironic or comic
effect). For those who do not know Sophocles’ play, Seelig’s approach will provide a
stimulating introduction; for those who do, it will cast it in radically new light.
One Little Goat is Canada’s only theatre company devoted to contemporary poetic theatre.
Playwright, stage director and poet Adam Seelig initially launched the company in 2002 in New
York City with the English-language world premieres of radio plays by Israel’s eminent modern
poet, Yehuda Amichai. Performance venues have included New York’s prestigious 92nd Street
Y, as well as Toronto’s Al Green Theatre in 2005 and 2006. One Little Goat premiered Seelig’s
first full-length play, All Is Almost Still, in 2004 at the 78th Street Theatre Lab in New York,
which was a Sunday New York Times featured play and for which it received a Nancy Quinn
Award from ART/NY, with Seelig called one of “the brightest directors on the theatrical scene”
by Backstage Magazine. After relocating to Toronto, the company premiered Ritter, Dene, Voss
by Austria’s leading post-war writer, Thomas Bernhard, in 2006 at Alchemy Theatre, to both
popular and critical acclaim. Seelig is the recipient of a Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship
for drama, and his writings have appeared in Modern Drama, World Literature Today and The
Walrus.
- 30 -
The Media is Invited: Fri & Sat, Nov 9 & 10, 8 p.m.; Sun Nov 11 at 2 p.m.
For media reservations and further information, contact:
Linda Litwack
416-782-7837
e-mail: [email protected]
Pronunciation: Antigone – an-TIG-on-ee
Sponsored by: