Antigone 1989: A Town Hall Musical will make its world premiere at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, running throughout August at Gilded Balloon Patter House: The Other Yin. Developed with award-winning dramaturg Ken Cerniglia, the new musical reimagines Sophocles’ ancient tragedy through the lens of 1989 America, exploring questions of justice, resistance and political responsibility.
Set in Thebes, California, at the height of the AIDS crisis and gay rights activism, the one-act musical follows Tigg, a young woman determined to challenge authority after two brothers die following a protest on the capitol steps. When the state’s governor celebrates one brother as a hero while attempting to erase the other from public memory, Tigg and her friend Henry risk everything to stand up for truth, love and remembrance.
Driven by an original score by composer and lyricist Chris Rayis, the production combines music, humour and political drama to examine themes that remain strikingly relevant today. The story asks when obedience becomes complicity, when silence becomes violence, and what it costs individuals and communities to speak out against injustice.
The musical is conceived, directed and produced by Elizabeth McKoy, founder of the award-winning Berkeley Playhouse in California. Over a career spanning more than two decades, McKoy has worked across directing, producing, performance and arts education, while championing the development of new musical theatre. Joining the creative team is assistant director and costume designer Tanaka Dunbar Ngwara, a performer, writer and designer based in London.
The cast is made up of students from Elon University’s Music Theatre programme, with performers including Emmalyn Bruce as Tig, Sierra Safran as Issa, Elliot Choate as Henry and Helena Padial as The Oracle.
Antigone 1989 – A Townhall Musical will be at the Gilded Balloon: Patter House – The Other Yin at 3.05pm for tickets go to www.edfringe.com
