About the project
Antigone in Savannah
Dramatic Reading of Antigone, by Sophocles
Translated, directed, and facilitated by Bryan Doerries
Music composed and conducted by Dr. Philip A. Woodmore
Antigone in Savannah fuses dramatic readings by acclaimed actors of Sophocles’ Antigone with live choral and gospel music performed by choirs and singers from Savannah, St. Louis, and New York City to frame powerful audience-driven dialogue about the challenges and opportunities of honoring the dead and healing historical wounds. This special, hybrid event took place in Savannah, Georgia at First African Baptist Church, with an opening ceremony in the Unnamed Square (formerly Calhoun Square) near an unmarked burial ground for enslaved Africans. By performing Sophocles’ Antigone, an ancient play about a young woman who puts everything on the line to bury her brother, for diverse audiences on this sacred ground and on Zoom, the project aims to generate compassion, reverence, understanding, and positive action.
Co-presented by Theater of War Productions, The On Being Project, and the Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation, & Healing.
Featuring performances by Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Kara Young (The Punisher), Marjolaine Goldsmith (Dress), Ato Blankson-Wood (When They See Us), Rosalyn Rouse (Susie King Taylor: What A Wonderful Revolution), Rev. Dr. Leonard Small (Pastor, Litway Baptist Church), and Krista Tippett (Founder + Editor in Chief, The On Being Project).
Soloists: Daniel McRath, Duane Foster, De-Rance Blaylock, and John Leggette
Chorus: De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, Latricia Allen, and Marcelle Lashley
Musicians: Guitar: Terrance Willams, Bass: Warren Daniels, Keyboard/ Organ: Jason Davis, Piano: Randall Williams, Saxophone: Ja’Mes Davis, Drums: Kenneth Crawford
Sound Designer: Matt Craig
Lighting Designer: Kent Sprague
Stage Manager: Ange Lopalito
Translated, directed and facilitated by Bryan Doerries.
Music composed and conducted by Dr. Philip A. Woodmore.
Produced by THE OFFICE performing arts + film.
Supported by The Hearthland Foundation.
Support for our digital programming is provided, in part, by the Mellon Foundation.
About the play
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Antigone by Sophocles
Sophocles’ Antigone is an ancient play about a teenage girl who wishes to bury her brother, Polyneices, who recently died in a brutal civil war. Creon, the new, untested king, has ruled that Polyneices’ body must remain above the earth, and that anyone who breaks this law will be put to death. Antigone openly and intentionally defies his edict, covering her brother’s body with dirt and publicly declaring her allegiance to a higher law, one that transcends that of the state—the law of love. Creon is then forced, by his own political rhetoric, and the by fragile social order that he has barely begun to establish since the civil war, to make an example of his niece, by sentencing her to death. In the process of following through with his own decree, Creon loses everything. At its core, Antigone is a play about what happens when personal conviction and state law clash, raising the question: When everyone is right (or feels justified), how do we avert the violence that will inevitably take place?
Antigone in Savannah Highlights
Watch the full recording of Antigone in Savannah
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
We are proud to release the full recording of Antigone in Savannah, co-presented by Theater of War Productions, The On Being Project, and the Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation, & Healing. Thank you for the many inquiries, we look forward to experiencing the lasting impact of this profoundly healing exchange. Thank you to The Hearthland Foundation for their support of Antigone in Savannah. Support for our digital programming is provided, in part, by the Mellon Foundation. Thank you to our editor John White at Off-White Media
Antigone played by Kara Young
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Kara Young plays Antigone.
Jesse Eisenberg plays Creon
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Jesse Eisenberg plays Creon, king of Thebes.
Ato Blankson-Wood plays Haemon
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Sistah Patt Gunn and Rosalyn Rouse with offering from the Unnamed Square
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Our deepest gratitude the Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation, & Healing, co-led by Sistah Patt Gunn and Sistah Roz Rouse, who welcomed and led us with grace and an open heart. We encourage everyone to explore www.centerforjubilee.com & www.undergroundtoursofsavannah.comto find ways to engage in their work and donate to their mission to serve as a Grassroots Public Policy organization that empowers individuals, nonprofit organizations, governmental institutions, schools, colleges and churches in creating tools for positive change in communities throughout the State of Georgia.
Rev. Dr. Leonard Small, Pastor Litway Baptist Church
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Rev. Dr. Leonard Small, Pastor Litway Baptist Church, plays Tiresias.
Soloist De-Rance Blaylock
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Soloist De-Rance Blaylock sings "I'm Covered."
Rosalyn Rouse Marcelle Davies Lashley and Audience Member
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Audience Members at Antigone in Savannah
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Savannah Chorus Members
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Rosalyn Rouse and Panelists
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Rosalyn Rouse Marcelle Davies Lashley and Audience Member Hug
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Rosalyn Rouse and Bryan Doerries
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Rosalyn Rouse played Guard and Messenger and is part of Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation, & Healing.
Rev. Dr. Leonard Small plays Tiresias
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Guitarist Terrance Williams
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Ja'Mes Davis on the Sax
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Latricia Allen
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Chorus member Latricia Allen is a Captain in St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Soloists Marcelle Davies Lashley and Daniel McRath
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Soloists Marcelle Davies Lashley and Daniel McRath at the end of their duet in "Oh Love Invincible"
Composer and conductor Dr. Philip A. Woodmore
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Composer and conductor Dr. Philip A. Woodmore leads the choir.
Beverly Trotter - youth worker, Savannah Youth City, Inc
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Panelist Beverly Trotter - youth worker, Savannah Youth City, Inc responding in the beginning of the discussion, "Right now I am still filled with the Holy Ghost or whatever happened tonight. It happened. It is our responsibility to invoke a conversation"
Clay Hodges
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Panelist Clay Hodges - local rapper, -Be Good To U Foundation.
Marjolaine Goldsmith Plays Ismene
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Marcelle Davies Lashley
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Soloist Marcelle Davies Lashley on Tambourine
Krista Tippett
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Krista Tippett played Eurydice. You can learn more about this collaboration with The On Being Project.
Kara Young plays Antigone Jesse Eisenberg plays Creon
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Ukrainian Audience Respondent
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Comunity Liasion Dominic Dupont
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Chorus member De-Andrea Blaylock Solar speaks during the discussion
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Kara Young as Antigone
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Soloist Duane Martin Foster
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Soloist Duane Martin Foster, former teacher of Michael Brown, sings "Purify"
Soloist De-Rance Blaylock
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
Soloist De-Rance Blaylock, former teacher of Michael Brown.
Soloist Daniel Mc Rath
First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA / 2022
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