Archway Theatre to Stage OEDIPUS-ANTIGONE This Spring

It is the fall of the entire House of Laius presented as one single production when the Archway Theatre presents its resident company production of "Oedipus-Antigone," May 13 through June 18. Performances are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $30 general admission.

Adapted and directed by Archway producing artistic director Steven Sabel, "Oedipus-Antigone" features an all-star cast of Archway resident company members and returning actors to the Archway stage.

"This is our big company production for the season, featuring the best actors in our fold in an epic production of major proportions," said Sabel.

Adapting the production from the masterful translation by classicist Lewis Campbell, Sabel has condensed Sophocles' greatest tragedies into one two-act play that reveals the saga of the curse of the House of Laius. The story of Oedipus unfolds in the first act of Sabel's script. A 15-minute intermission serves as the passage of time before the second act, when the story of Antigone becomes the focus.

"It is a natural progression that provides excellent context for the audience. At the end of the first act we meet little Antigone and her sister, Ismene, as their father, Oedipus, is forced to part with them. When we return for the second act, the two girls are grown now, and the story continues," Sabel said..

Presented on an angular and jagged unit set designed by Sabel to represent the inescapable fates of the characters, the classical style production will feature period-inspired costumes coordinated by Archway resident costumer Sarah Morris.

"Our goal is to create an ethereal, almost other-worldly setting that ties the classical Greek age to the artistic vision for the production," said Sabel.

The cast includes a list of Archway resident company members and returning actors including Archway notables such as Elias McCabe ("Six Degrees of Separation," "Phaedra's Lust," "Salome"), Annie Freeman ("Trojan Women," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Faustus"), Emily Blokker-Dalquist ("Tis Pity She's A Whore," "The Tempest," "Twelfth Night"), Sally Schaub ("Pygmalion," "Coriolanus," "Dracula"), and Jennifer Hawkins ("Faustus," "Salome," "Deadwood Dick"). Sabel will appear in the role of Oedipus.

"It is incredibly rewarding to work with such talented actors again and again. You develop a short-hand with each other - a way of quickly and easily understanding each other through a shared language within the craft, and that makes every rehearsal more efficient and effective," Sabel said.

"Oedipus-Antigone" previews Friday, May 13, and opens Saturday, May 14. A special reception will be held following opening night, featuring a Greek-inspired menu.

The Archway Studio/Theatre is located at 10509 Burbank blvd., North Hollywood, CA. For additional information, visit www.archwayla.com or call (818)980-PLAY (7529).