Trinity Rep Opens 45th Season
With "Dreams of Antigone"

Trinity Repertory Company in Providence will open its 45th Season with the world premiere of Artistic Director Curt Columbus' new play, "The Dreams of Antigone" (formerly titled "Antigone Anew"). Directed by Brian McEleney, the show runs September 19 - October 26 in Trinity Rep's intimate Dowling Theater.

New this season at Trinity Rep is a unified curtain time of 7:30 p.m. for all evening performances. Matinees will take place at 2 p.m. on select Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

In the hands of artistic director Curt Columbus, one of the world’s oldest plays becomes a modern-day retelling of a story of courage and faith which asks the question: Can one person change the world? Inspired by the Sophocles classic,"The Dreams of Antigone" reframes questions about personal and social responsibility through the lens of modern times.

Columbus commented, “It’s quite a story – Antigone is a young woman who confronts a political monolith and demands change. The king, the government, the authority, is forced to react. She’s a revolutionary figure. Our play doesn’t stop with one person’s stand, but shows us the whole family, the whole community, wrestling with difficult questions– it’s a much more democratic impulse than Sophocles imagined.”

Columbus describes his modern take on Sophocles’ "Antigone" as Orwell’s 1984 meets "Brazil" at "Gosford Park." “We are keeping with Trinity Rep’s time-honored style of taking classic plays, shattering the glass with a hammer, choosing the shards we like, putting a new frame around it and saying 'now, look at this.' That’s what Adrian Hall did, Dick Jenkins, Brian McEleney – so much of the great work here has been done that way. We’re following in that tradition.”

The cast includes Trinity Rep resident acting company members Stephen Berenson, Angela Brazil, Janice Duclos, Mauro Hantman, Phyllis Kay, Barbara Meek, Anne Scurria, Fred Sullivan, Jr., Stephen Thorne, Rachael Warren, Joe Wilson, Jr. and Brown/Trinity Rep consortium actor Aaron Rossinii.

Curt Columbus joined Trinity Rep as artistic director in January 2006. He has directed his own translation of "Cherry Orchard" for Trinity, as well as productions of "A Christmas Carol," "Memory House" and "Blithe Spirit." Upcoming directing projects include "The Receptionist" and "The Secret Rapture." Last season saw the premiere of Curt’s play with music, "Paris by Night."

Curt was the associate artistic director of Chicago’s famed Steppenwolf Theater Company from 2000-2005, where the world premieres of his translations of "Cherry Orchard" and "Uncle Vanya" were presented. He was also the artistic director of Chicago Park District’s Theater on the Lake and an artistic associate at Victory Gardens Theater from 1990–2006. .

Director Brian McEleney has been a member of the resident acting company since 1983. At Trinity Rep he helmed last season's acclaimed "All the King’s Men," along with past productions of "Our Town," "Hamlet," "Stones in His Pockets," "The Beauty Queen of Leenane," "Dinner with Friends," "Master Class," "Proof," "Mrs. Warren’s Profession," and "A Christmas Carol." He is head of the Brown/Trinity Rep Consortium’s Acting MFA program.

The first performance on September 19 at 7:30 p.m. is "Pay What You Can" (PWYC). PWYC tickets go on sale at 6:30 p.m., with a limit of one ticket per person.

Talkback sessions will be held after every performance of "The Dreams of Antigone." Audience members are invited to share their thoughts and reactions to the play’s production and themes.

For tickets and information, call 401-351-4242 or visit www.trinityrep.com.

-- OnStage Boston