Hello everyone! We know many of you are antsy to get back to school and get back on stage! We are too, so here are some updates about the Winter Shows that are currently going on! Here are the following cast lists for our two Winter Shows:
Antigone- directed by Kari Beutz
A note from the director:
Last February, Eden Prairie High School Drama, under the direction of new-to-EPHS yet seasoned director Kari Beutz, produced Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” a play about not fully realizing life as one lives it. “Our Town” follows Emily Webb, who, in Act I, falls in love with the boy next door, George Gibbs. In Act II, they get married. In Act III, Emily has died in childbirth, and we see her joining other deceased in the cemetery of the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire around the early 1900s. Emily is granted one day to revisit her life, and she realizes that most of us take our lives for granted, that the most ordinary days are indeed special. Little did the cast and crew know how much they needed to take that message to heart as it would be the last play produced of the 2019-20 school year prior to the COVID-induced shutdown.
This winter, director Beutz decided on a modern adaptation by Emily Mann of Sophocles’ classic Greek tragedy, Antigone. The script was chosen both for its ability to pivot to either a live or live-streamed platform, as well as for its timely themes. Antigone and her uncle, King Creon, have deeply divided beliefs. Each unable to compromise, they bring about the destruction of everyone around them.
The dystopian setting and production concept was inspired by images of destruction and civil unrest around the country during recent protests. “Whose Law?” spray painted at a riot will be a focal point of the production, as Antigone follows her own moral law, which clashes with newly-appointed King Creon’s edict. Antigone wishes to grant her brother Polynieces a proper burial, yet Creon forbids it since Polynieces fought on the other side of the recent civil war.
The play was cast just prior to the governor’s order to pause on in-person activities, so auditions were held on November 18-19 in the EPHS Performing Arts Center, observing social distancing and masking. After easily deciding on casting Josie Axelson as Antigone, further casting decisions were made via Zoom on Monday, November 23. The cast had been rehearsing via Zoom after school, then went back to EPHS in person on January 4th to continue rehearsals in person. They intend to perform the weekend of February 6th-8th, regardless of the platform: live or live streamed, which the poetic, engaging script will transcend. (At the moment, live performances are scheduled with a 25% capacity, socially-distanced audience = around 150 people performance).
Cast
Creon- Xander Gordy
Aide- Sarah Johnson
Antigone- Josie Axelson
Ismene- Georgia Becker
Guard- Mary Wolberg
Haemon, Creon’s son- Samuel Zwiefelhofer
Teiresias, the prophet- Sophia Dohmen
Eurydice, Creon’s wife- Elizabeth Saunders
Chorus- Ronia Mukherjee, Edwin Parades, Elizabeth Stephan
Production
Director- Kari Beutz
Stage Managers- Lily Lawinger and Averi Leone
Lighting Designer- Katherine Kregness
Lighting Crew- Vivienne Tabor and Josey Abbott
Sound- Ryan Hines and Ezekiel Beuning
Stage/Build Crew- Megan Wilson, Vivienne Tabor, Josey Abbott, Ezekiel Beuning, Averi Leone, Lily Lawinger, and Spencer Wilson
Costume Designer- Blair Schuler
Costumer- Katie Ross
Antigone will be performing at 7:30pm on February 4th, 5th, and 6th. There is also be a matinee performance at 2pm on February 6th.
Antigone Youtube Livestream (Thursday)
Antigone Youtube Livestream (Saturday evening)
The Diary of Adam and Eve- directed by Jay Asfeld
Adam- Riley Wilson
Eve- Molly Corbett
Director- Jay Asfeld
The Diary of Adam and Eve will be doing an in-person show on the 28th and 29th at 7pm.
The Diary of Adam and Eve Ticket List
Also, for both shows we would love to have people usher! Heading ushering is a lettering project as well, so please look into it and contact us if interested! We have a signup sheet that can be used for both shows, and we will contact you to give you more information about it when you fill out the spreadsheet below.
EPHS Drama 