“Spellbinding, timeless and urgent…Eye-popping design is what we’ve come to expect from shows at the Armory, and this Shizuoka Performing Arts Center production, with an 18,000-gallon expanse of water, does not disappoint.”
—The New York Times, Critic’s Pick
“Visually and musically gorgeous.”
—Vulture, New York Magazine
Sophocles created characters with psychological depth and complexity in this universal play that are as resonant now as when it was written nearly 2,500 years ago. The Greek tragedy hinges on a young girl disobeying the king by giving her brother the same funeral rites that he had been denied after a fratricidal combat, challenging the injustice of men to obey the laws of the gods and following her heart by putting his soul to rest. What followed was an intense exploration of humanity, morality, law, and justice that left few unharmed.
Famed Japanese director Satoshi Miyagi creates a new version of this fabled mythology that looks at this ancient play through the prism of Japanese culture. He turns the stage into a flowing river of water, known in many spiritual beliefs to separate the world of the living from that of the dead. This fresh take presents a riveting play about loss and memorialization in a way that is both timeless and timely, mixing the foundational principles of Greek tragedy, Japanese Noh theatre, Indonesian shadow play, and the Buddhist philosophy to negotiate the boundaries of intercultural encounters while creating a new theatrical universe of globalized proportions.
Artist Talk: Antigone
Friday, October 4, 2019 at 6:30pm
Tickets: $15
Director Satoshi Miyagi and Carol Martin (Professor of Drama at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University) discuss the infusion of Japanese Noh theater and other global traditions in his re-imagining of this classic Greek tragedy.
North American Premiere
By Sophocles, Translation by Shigetake Yaginuma
A Production of Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC)
Adapted by Park Avenue Armory and Presented in Collaboration with The Japan Foundation
Satoshi Miyagi, Director
Hiroko Tanakawa, Composer
Junpei Kiz, Space Designer
Kayo Takahashi, Costume Designer
Koji Osako, Lighting Designer
Kyoko Kajita, Hair and Makeup
Antigone is presented in collaboration with The Japan Foundation as part of Japan 2019.
Image: Ryota Atarashi
September 25–October 6, 2019
Monday–Thursday at 7:30pm
Friday–Saturday at 8:00pm
Sunday at 2:00pm (and 8:00pm on October 6)
Wade Thompson Drill Hall
View the seating chart.
This performance is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes with no intermission and is performed in Japanese with English supertitles.
Access the best seats as a member:
Armory members receive access to the best seats in each price zone. Members must be logged in to access special member seating. To become a member, please add a membership to your cart or call (212) 616-3958. Armory Chairman’s Circle members at the Bronze level and above receive access to house seats to select sold-out performances. To become a Chairman’s Circle member call (212) 933-5824.
Other ways to buy:
Tickets can be purchased by phone by calling the Box Office at (212) 933-5812 Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM.
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