Antigone

By Jean Anouilh
Directed by Bruce Coughran

January 22 through February 20, 2010
and Thursday, February 18th.

Anouilh’s Antigone is an adaptation of Sophocles’ tragic play. Written in 1942, when the Nazis occupied France, the play revolves around the conflict between the idealist Antigone and her rigid uncle, Creon, over the proper burial of Antigone’s brother, Polynices.

The play has been interpreted to represent the struggle of the French Resistance against the Vichy government during the Nazi occupation. Often considered his masterpiece, ANTIGONE cemented Anouilh’s reputation as a dramatist upon its Paris debut in 1943. Actors Ensemble presents ANTIGONE in celebration of Anouilh’s (born June 23, 1910) centennial year.

“The play is certainly about standing up to oppressive authority, but I also wanted to explore its spiritual dimensions.” says director Bruce Coughran. “I was curious about where a young woman finds the inner resolve to perform what is essentially an act of civil disobedience. Working on ANTIGONE has provided some surprising answers.”

Originally from southern California, Bruce Coughran has been directing and assistant directing up and down the West Coast. He recently directed the world premiere of “Bad Connection?” at West Valley College in Sausalito, and several staged readings for Subterranean Shakespeare Theatre Company. He has also been an assistant director at the Old Globe in San Diego, the La Jolla Playhouse, the Kirk Douglas Theatre, ACT in San Francisco, and the Berkeley Opera. This is the first play he has directed for Actors Ensemble.

Actors Ensemble of Berkeley has been producing rarely seen plays in Berkeley since 1957. Run solely by the efforts of its volunteers, AE is Berkeley's longest-running theater company, enlisting the talents of 100's of actors, technicians, artists and volunteers year after year.

The play was an instant success when it was first staged in Paris in 1944.

ANTIGONE By Jean Anouilh, Directed by Bruce Coughran will be performed Fridays and Saturdays, January 22 through February 20, 2010 with an extra performance on Thursday, February 18th. All performances begin at 8:00 pm.

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The reviews are in:

The Berkeley Daily Planet Arts & Entertainment by Ken Bullock - Berkeley Daily Planet

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The Performers

Director	Bruce Coughran
Producer	Jerome Solberg
Set Design	Jerome Solberg
Costume Design	Kim Stewart
Lighting Design	Bob Gudmundsson
Light/Sound Operation	Yu (Patience) Wu & Maia Zimonja
Set Construction Assistant	Silas Humphreys
Stage Manager	Ericka Wells
Light Production	Yu Wu & Maia Mizonja
Costumes Assistant	Helen Slomowitz
Assistant Light Design	Kate Aragon
Musician	Tom Ferguson
Graphics	Shu Ping Guan

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