"Whoever seeks shall find."
We are a nation divided with the hope of unity.
"There is a point at which even justice does injury."
When opposing forces seek justice, who is it that truly casts the blame?
The issues that plague our nation have existed since the Fall of mankind. Racism. Sexism. Bigotry. Foolhardyness. Pride. Greed. A constrant struggle for power and righteousness. For the same amount of time, what society lacks art has chosen to discuss. Perhaps it is in the most ancient of texts that we can find answers to our differences. Such is the role of an upcoming production of "Antigone" by Sophocles.
Opening Thursday, December 1st and running through Saturday, December 3rd, a select group at Asbury University has chosen to use the classic work to discuss current racial and political tensions that have literally been burning through the streets of the United States. The performance is controversial in a predominantly white, religious community but nevertheless strives to place the issues of the Black Lives Matter movement at the forefront of discussion.
It could have been a complete disaster. But the production has done nothing but open doors for a topic that makes the majority of American citizens... uncomfortable, to say the least.
Through sensual, bold, no-holds-barred choreography and an intentionally diverse cast, "Antigone" shines a spotlight on racial injustice that transforms America's can't-look-away car wreck into a transcendent masterpiece. I had the chance to sit down with the director, Allison Acuff, and ask her possibly the most-wanted-question all of Asbury's campus has been asking: Why?
Why "Antigone"? Why now? What makes this ancient show so relevant today?
Acuff: "It’s brother vs. brother. Look around today, and our senses are assaulted by hate, by rage. We are a people driven by fear. I want to make it clear through this show that if we, brothers and sisters, continue in this narrative of hate that we are in, we are literally going to destroy ourselves."
What led you to use the production as a platform for the Black Lives Matter movement?
Acuff: "I wouldn’t call it a platform. I’m a storyteller, not a politician. At the beginning of this process, I told my dramaturg, Joe, that I wanted to be sure that the ideologies of both [Black Lives Matter] and [All Lives Matter] were represented equally. As political parties, there’s hate and killing and corruption on both sides, and I am sick of people politicizing the lives of other humans. The reality is that this story, our human story, is so much more than politics: this is brother versus brother. You can’t look at the news and tell me that racism doesn’t exist. Too many people have died, too many people are hurting, are suffering, and we can’t turn a blind eye to the injustices in the world because they make us “uncomfortable". We have to listen. We have to listen [in order] to hear, not to respond, and then and only then may we act, together. James [1:19] puts it this way; "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires." "
"Antigone" shares the plight of racial tension from multiple perspectives. In a recent rehearsal, Acuff encouraged the cast and crew, "We all know the story that we have to tell." The production's biggest strength is its brutal honesty. No matter your side, no matter your alliance, there is no way to escape without blood on your hands and dirt under your skin.
The role of Antigone was an incredible challenge to portray; not only must she honor her original creator but she must represent a modern movement. I sat down with Melina Martinez, who is cast in the role of Antigone, in order to understand what drew her to this role. "I read the script before I accepted the role... I think there should be a lot more people who are willing to go against the grain for the marginalized."
Why do you think this story is one that needs to be told today, in our nation's current racial climate? What makes Antigone's story relevant for YOU?
Martinez: "I think right now, everything going on with the media... there are so many things going wrong right now, whether it be with women or minorities or social class or politicians. Right now there's just injustice in every aspect of American society... It's brought up a lot of discussion but it's also brought up a lot of divides. I hope it makes the audience think in their own life: where is there injustice? Where can they change it, where can they fix it, where are they willing to stick their neck out for someone else or themselves? There's a lot of policemen and [minorities] alike being killed and being treated unfairly; and I think this [production] presents a happy medium showing both sides. I think it shows their thoughts on both sides and brings a humanistic approach to it."
The show is very politically and socially charged, especially now. It's going to make a lot of people uncomfortable or bring up feelings they may have not addressed before seeing the show. What would you like to say to those people, people who are processing these feelings?
Martinez: "I think one thing that a lot of people mistake [is] being uncomfortable and being convicted. I think if you're uncomfortable in a situation you need to reflect on yourself and think 'why'. ... The world has tried to keep us in a comfortable bubble, and that's not the way life is supposed to be ... If you feel uncomfortable: good."
If you are in the Lexington, KY area this weekend and would like to purchase tickets, you can do so on Asbury's website. It is not a stretch to say that this production is the most relevant and likely the most important of "Antigone" in decades. So come and witness a story that is meant to be told. Watch as history and and modern times collide. You will certainly not leave the same.
