Welcome to Behind the Curtain on KHSU, a show where we take a look behind the scenes of local theatre, performance art and other productions in Humboldt County.
Most locals are familiar with Cal Poly Humboldt’s large performance venue the Jon Van Duzer Theatre, but across the way, nestled in the third floor of Gist hall, is a much more intimate performance space. For this week’s episode of Behind the Curtain, I visited the Gist Hall Theatre, where the actors and crew were putting on their preview performance of the theatre department's current production, the ancient Greek tragedy written by Sophocles – Antigone.
While the actors were busy readying themselves backstage for their performance, I sat down with the director, Tony-nominated actor Cynthia Martells, to learn more about this production, why she wanted to tell the story of Antigone, and a little more about her extensive theatre and acting background
For those unfamiliar with the play, the story follows Antigone,who dares to defy the king Creon, who also happens to be her uncle, by giving her brother a proper burial after Creon had declared her brother a traitor and denied his burial rites. With the story’s examination of gender roles, civil disobedience, and the stubbornness and pride of the antagonist king, Martells feels that Antigone’s themes are relevant today and that audiences might resonate with it more than they would think.
Antigone by Sophacles opens Friday, Nov. 7 at the Gist Hall Theatre on Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and will run for two weekends — Nov.7 through 9 and Nov. 14 through 16, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased online at tickets.humboldt.edu. And a limited number will be available at the door starting one hour before the show.
Thank you to the entire cast and crew of Antigone, to director Cynthia Martells, production manager Michael Thomas, and to the Cal Poly Humboldt Department of Dance, Music and Theatre.
Thanks for listening behind the curtain on KHSU. And if you have an upcoming production that you would like featured on Behind the Curtain, you can email us at khsu@humboldt.edu
