THEATER
FOR THE NEW CITY'S DREAM UP FESTIVAL PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
"I AM ANTIGONE," ADAPTED FROM SOPHOCLES BY SAUDAMINI SIEGRIST,
DIRECTED BY MYRIAM CYR WHERE AND
WHEN: NEW YORK, August 7 -- Defiant, real, funny, an unapologetic defender of truth, Antigone's timely contemporary commentary denounces the abuse of power, testifying to the ability we all possess to oppose injustice and government corruption. "I Am Antigone" is an adaptation of Sophocles' "Antigone," written by award-nominated poet Saudamini Siegrist, directed by award-winning Myriam Cyr, starring Broadway actress Nicole Ansari (Tom Stoppard's "Rock and Roll") and internationally renowned Comedie Francaise actor and dancer, Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam. "I Am Antigone" re-appropriates the mythological story of Antigone from her point of view. Theater for the New City's Dream Up Festival will present the play's world premiere September 8 to 16. Defying Creon's command by performing burial rites for her beloved brother Polynices, Oedipus's daughter is condemned to be buried alive. And there, impervious to time, she lives to this day. Subverting Sophocles'o chorus, she will use them and any means available to her, to tell us her story. The story of Antigone. A rebellion not only of her own time, but of all times. A struggle retold over the ages creating an inspirational call to action. Playwright Saudamini Siegrist has received three nominations for the Pushcart Prize and written poems that have appeared in numerous publications, including Forge, Crack the Spine, Salamander, Free State Review, Zone 3 and others. Siegrist lives in New York City where she led a team on child protection and emergency humanitarian response, working for UNICEF for over two decades. Her Antigone comes from a deep-rooted need for change and is informed by her years defending human rights and a life dedicated to humanitarian action. Myriam Cyr was named Poet
Laureate of New Brunswick, Canada in 2008. She is a theater director
and critically acclaimed writer and award-winning actress intent on
promoting female narratives, whose works includes "Letters of a
Portuguese Nun." She last directed "Simon Says" at the
Culture Project with Brian Murray, which the New York Times hailed as
"thrilling." Cyr is currently Artistic Director of The Black
Box Lab in Hamilton, MA dedicated to developing new works. She was nominated
as best director by Broadway World in 2016. Her book, "Letters
of a Portuguese Nun," was named "Book of the Month" for
the Guardian and translated into eight languages. As an actress, Myriam
was a member of Steven Berkoff's company at the Royal National Theatre
under Richard Eyre and played Salome opposite Al Pacino. She is currently
producing Hedda Gabler for Universal Studios in a screenplay adaptation
by Oscar and Tony Award winner Christopher Hampton. She will be directing
"Falling in Love with Mr. Dellamort" by Jack Feldstein this
fall in NYC. Set design is by award winning Janie Howland. Lighting design is by Kevin Dunn, costumes and graphic design are by Catherine Stramer. The eighth annual Dream Up Festival (www.dreamupfestival.org) is being presented by Theater for the New City from August 27 to September 17. An ultimate new work festival, it is dedicated to the joy of discovering new authors and edgy, innovative performances. Audiences savor the excitement, awe, passion, challenge and intrigue of new plays from around the country and around the world. The festival does not seek out traditional scripts that are presented in a traditional way. It selects works that push new ideas to the forefront, challenge audience expectations and make us question our understanding of how art illuminates the world around us. A unique and varied selection of productions will again be offered that draw upon a variety of performance specialties including singing, clowning, poetry, street music, magic and movement. The Festival's founders, Crystal Field and Michael Scott-Price, feel this is especially needed in our present time of declining donations to the arts, grants not being awarded due to market conditions, and arts funding cuts on almost every level across the country and abroad. # # # PRESS CONTACT FOR THIS PRODUCTION: Glenna Freedman Public Relations, (917) 863-3833, glennafreedman@gmail.com
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