While the pillars of society crumble, one young woman defies the decrees of a tyrant king in her pursuit of divine justice, as students of the School of Theatre & Dance bring Sophocles’ “Antigone” to San Francisco State University.

The blood-splattered stage depicting a post-civil war ancient Thebes is set to open to public viewing on April 27 in the Little Theatre. Tasked with leading their fellow classmates to a successful opening show are first-time directors Ellie Yach and Danielle Woods.

Nearly every decision of the production process is in the hands of students in the school’s Theatre Making class. Collectively, they chose to perform “Antigone” knowing the decision would bring along challenges. The size of the production required many of its actors to double in other roles, such as marketing and technical specialists.

For Yach, a fourth-year theatre arts major, the decision to pitch “Antigone” to her classmates stemmed from her connection to the play’s themes in her personal life and the modern world.

“I love the themes of tyranny, suppression and an uprising that you can feel brewing,” Yach said. “In a time like this, where censorship and the persecution of women are so prevalent, I feel like this is the perfect time for this show.” 

The story revolves around sisters Antigone and Ismene as they cope with the death of their parents and brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles. After their father, King Oedipus, is exiled and subsequently dies, the two brothers fight for the right to rule Thebes, ultimately killing each other.

Their deaths created a power void to be filled by their uncle, Creon. As king, Creon buries Eteocles with full military honors but declares it illegal for Polyneices to be buried. Antigone views leaving her brother to rot as an act against the gods and seeks out justice. Ismene, afraid to lose another loved one, pleads with her sister to obey the king’s decree. The difference in opinion leads to a deep fracture in their relationship.

Antigone is portrayed by Lucy Bitar, a third-year theatre arts major. Bitar resonates with Antigone’s strong moral code, but acknowledges that they approach conflict in different ways.  

“I feel like we both stand up for what is right, at least I try to,” Bitar said. “She’s a lot braver than I am in the way she expresses herself.”

Antigone marches to the beat of her own drum, often defying public consensus to stay true to her family values. When her father was exiled, Antigone remained loyal until his death. When Polyneices was denied a proper burial, she refused to sit idly, even if it meant clashing with her power-hungry uncle. 

King Creon, is played by third-year theatre arts major, Axel Tomelloso. While getting to know the ins and outs of King Creon, Tomelloso drew parallels to one of today’s political figures.

“[Creon] is a tyrant, the type of man to always think that he is in the right and anything that he says will go,” Tomelloso said. “I will always compare him to our current president. I feel like he’s very manipulative and he thinks what he’s doing for the city of Thebes is right, but he’s really just destroying everybody and destroying himself along with it.”

“Antigone” is undoubtedly tragic, but the cast says its message goes beyond loss and despair. Shanna Prasad, a fourth-year theatre arts major and chorus member, sees the real-life morals played out in the production’s themes. 

“It reminds people about the importance of family, the importance of friendships and just the importance of taking a moment to listen to one another instead of being quick to judge,” Prasad said. 

Monday’s performance of “Antigone” will mark the first time the full proscenium of the Little Theatre will be utilized since the Fall 2024 showing of “Everybody.” While the usage of the full proscenium allows for a much higher seating capacity overall, there is limited accessibility. The stairs are too steep to add a ramp for wheelchair users, leaving them with limited seating options. Woods recognized the limitations of large performances in terms of accessibility.

“It’s something that the student body is passionate about, and it’s something that Players Club is trying to work with,” Woods said. “Unfortunately, the lab is so small, we want to be able to have these big performances and have just as many performances as we would there. But unfortunately, it’s a budget thing.” 

Making the show accessible to as many people as possible is important to the students of theatre making. The production directors have pitched the possibility of reserving on-stage seating for wheelchair users. According to Yach, an ASL interpreter will also be present at both showings.

Students are ensuring every base is covered in their production. Sean Nash, a third-year double major in theatre arts and political science, was tasked with constructing the production’s program. While Nash takes on the role of Haemon on stage, the program’s design proved to be an entirely new challenge. 

“It’s given a lot of people opportunities to try things that they’ve never done before,” Nash said. “I’ve worked on a scenic crew before, but I’ve never designed a program before.”

Though students are the primary directors for the production of “Antigone,” they were guided by advisory theatre arts professors Jo Tomalin and Todd Roehrman. The two bring a valuable mix of experience, both on stage and off. Tomalin has a background in physical and classical acting, while Roehrman’s expertise lies in design and technical theatre, with a specialty in costume design. 

Despite the scheduling conflicts that come with the multitude of responsibilities held by each cast member, Tomalin and Roehrman believe the independent dynamic among classmates has fostered a special connection between the students and their production.

“I think it’s enhanced [the production]. Now they have it in their body,” Roehrman said. “That’s how a lot of great theatre is born, usually at a great sacrifice of time and personal commitments.”

Tomalin echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the broader skills students gain through the process. 

“It’s an entrepreneurial spirit that our students learn,” Tomalin said. “This lobby will be full of different students who are on stage later, and they will be taking tickets, guiding people into their seats, giving out programs and meeting people.” 

“Antigone” will run on April 27 and 29, starting at 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $3 at the School of Theatre and Dance’s ticketing website.