2023
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 17 7:00 PM SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18 2:00 PM RICHARD PERRY THEATRE
GRADES 11 & 12 PLAY
DIRECTED BY AMARA JAMES AJA
Director’s Note I am born for love not hatred. I am delighted to continue Poly Arts’ fall season of classical work with this production of Anne Carson’s Antigonick. The tragedies of ancient Greece played a pivotal role in the moral and political education of its citizens. Sophocles’ Antigone presented Athenian audiences with an especially challenging set of circumstances. Eteokles and Polyneikes, the two sons of Oidipous, slay each other in a civil war for the Theban throne, and the throne passes to Oidipous’ brother-in-law Kreon. Kreon decrees that Polyneikes will be left unburied as posthumous punishment for his rebellion against the city. Antigone, sister to Polyneikes and daughter of Oidipous, defies this edict and buries her brother, arguing that she has a responsibility to her brother and the gods that supersedes any mortal law. The events of the play urge audiences to consider: What makes a good ruler? What do we owe to our enemies? What must we do when our conscience conflicts with the law of the land? It is my firm belief that we continue to tell these ancient stories specifically because of their continued relevance to our lives today. Antigone’s actions have inspired social movements as varied as French resistance to occupation by the genocidal Nazi regime, international boycotts of apartheid South Africa, and American protests of indiscriminate bombing in Vietnam and Cambodia. In Antigonick, the gods, speaking through the blind prophet Teiresias, affirm Antigone’s decision to honor her treasonous brother. In our current context, we must find the answers to these complicated questions ourselves. Carson’s translation of Sophocles’ play is relentlessly contemporary; it resists relegation to history. These events are happening in a place like here, in a time like now. I hope that Antigonick encourages us all to consider what can be accomplished in the nick of time, before it is too late to act. Amara James Aja Director
A Note from the Performing Arts Department When Antigonick was offered as the Grades 11 and 12 fall play option, I was intrigued, familiar with the ancient Greek tragedy. However, as I read through the re-imagined story, I became more and more enraptured with the character of Antigone in this depiction; her disobedience fully conscious, raw, and unwilling to be silenced. Simply, she is a woman refusing to give an inch, even as she is continuously tested, and this spoke volumes. Choosing leadership instead of silence, in the face of fear, is a value and virtue we try to instill in our students daily.
Our newest faculty member, Amara James Aja, has worked with our students over the past few months to dig deeply and challenge their own development, rooting down through these complexities and seeing through varied lenses. I feel so fortunate to be a small piece of their work and to bear witness to the grit and artistry of our students and production team this season, knowing they, and we, are all balancing so much. This play, however, makes me wonder—as we navigate packed schedules, rushing and hurrying, caught up in our lives—what it is we might have missed. Welcome to our production of Antigonick and to our theater. Congratulations to all. Ashley Hacker Performing Arts Department Chair
Cast Michael Cai........................................................................................................................... Nick MaKiyah Turner-Hicks*............................................................................................ Antigone Isabelle Gerling*.............................................................................................................Ismene Zeke Wise*.......................................................................................................................... Kreon Ocean DeGraaf...........................................................................Guard/Messenger/Chorus Jasper Whiteley*........................................................................................................... Haimon Stavroula Gabriel*.......................................................................................Teiresias/Chorus Drew Waldman*............................................................................................Eurydike/Chorus Soleil Peña, Dorotea Sabbagh................................................................................. Chorus
Production Staff Amara James Aja......................................................................................................... Director Kim Griffin..................................................................................................Costume Designer Daniel Patrick Hogan..................................................................................... Scenic Design David Higham............................................................ Lighting Design/Technical Director
Student Production Quinn Marloe....................................................................................................................Sound Abby Mangerson............................................................................................. Costume Crew
*Denotes Excellence in the Arts certificate program acceptance
Meet the Production Staff Amara James Aja (Director) Amara holds a B.A. in Government from Cornell University and an M.F.A. in Drama from the University of San Diego/Old Globe Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. Selected theater credits include The Tempest at Oregon Symphony, The Blameless, Hamlet, Richard II, Love’s Labor’s Lost, and Macbeth at the Old Globe, The West End at Cincinnati Playhouse, In the Heat of the Night at the Barter Theater, and The White Devil at Red Bull Theater. In addition to his work as an actor, Amara has worked as a teaching artist and director at New York City’s Professional Performing Arts School and the Powerhouse Theater Training Program at Vassar College. Kim Griffin (Costume Designer) has designed for theater, musicals, dance, and opera; collaboration with directors, the design team, and the actors is integral to her process from beginning to end. Kim has worked at theaters, including the Williamstown Theatre Festival, New Jersey Repertory Theatre, Florida Repertory Theatre, Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars, Ohio Light Opera, Stageworks Theatre, Boomerang Theatre Company, Opera in the Heights, and The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston. She has toured with the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Legends Blue Unit and has stitched for The Met Gala, Broadway shows, and national tours. She has also designed for Theatre for Young Audiences tours, along with university and high school productions. Kim is originally from Houston, Texas and earned her BFA in Theatre Design & Technology with a minor in music from Baylor University and her MFA in Costume Design from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. As part of the fulfillment of her master’s at MGSA, she studied at Rutgers Conservatory at Shakespeare’s Globe, and The School of Historical Dress in London, England. Daniel Patrick Hogan (Scenic/Set Designer) has designed scenery, props, hair, and makeup for numerous productions. As a scenic designer, his favorite projects include; Little Shop of Horrors, The Seafarer, The Pirates of Penzance, In the Heights, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and A Doll’s House. Recently, Daniel designed scenery for The Wallace Theatre’s production of Sweeney Todd. He created an immersive, multi-levelled set that placed the audience in between different locations. His design utilized existing elements of the derelict Wallace Theatre and offered a unique viewing experience for each audience member. Daniel thoroughly enjoys transforming found spaces and designing new works. David Higham (Lighting Designer & Technical Director) is in his thirty-second year at Poly, where he has been responsible for designing the lighting, sound, and scenery for over 170 productions. In addition to his work at Poly, Mr. Higham has designed lighting for productions at The Public Theatre, Lincoln Center, the Irish Arts Center, The Women’s Project, The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, and The National Shakespeare Company, among others. Mr. Higham also has worked as a lighting designer for several New York City architectural and landscape design firms.
Note about our theater lighting: Thanks to a generous gift from the late Robert Martinson ‘59 in support of technical theater improvements, David Higham, Technical Theatre Director, has been working with lighting technicians from Roundabout Theatre Technical Workforce Development Program to upgrade our lighting equipment. We’re currently installing 179 new LED lighting instruments as well as a new power and distribution system that will provide not only a more professional and flexible palette for design, but will also be significantly more energy efficient—reducing by 1/4 the wattage usage of every instrument. In addition to the theater lighting, we’ll be retrofitting 60 units to LED for use in the Chapel as well.
Meet the Cast Michael Cai (Nick) is a tenth grade student at Poly Prep making his Poly Arts debut. When not performing, Michael is a member of the wrestling team and a mathlete. Enjoy the show! Ocean Degraaf (Guard, Messenger, Chorus) is an 11th grade student at Poly Prep. Previous credits at Poly include The Outsider. When he is not performing, Ocean enjoys playing basketball, watching films, and hanging out with the fam. Enjoy the play!!!! Stavroula Gabriel (Teiresias, Chorus) is an eleventh grader at Poly Prep. She has loved acting and music ever since she was a part of the musical theater club at Poly Prep Lower School. She has been a part of multiple shows since sixth grade, most recently in Curtains and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Enjoy the show! Isabelle Gerling (Ismene) is an eleventh grade student at Poly Prep. She has been at Poly her whole life and has been in the musical theater program since she was in the Lower School. She was in the casts of Curtains and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive). When not performing, Isabelle enjoys doing studio ballet, playing tennis, and spending time with her family. Enjoy the show! Soleil Peña (Chorus) is a ninth grade student at Poly Prep. Previous credits at Poly include Bye Bye Birdie, A Christmas Carol, and The Comedy of Errors. When she is not on stage, she is dancing, relaxing, and practicing for her future performances. Enjoy the show!
Meet the Cast (Cont.) Dorotea Sabbagh (Chorus) is a 9th grade student at Poly Prep. Previous credits at Poly include Godspell, A Christmas Carol (Fran), 13! (Charlotte), The Pushcart War (Tiger Sweet), Bye Bye Birdie (Rosie), and The Comedy of Errors (Adrianna). When not performing, Dorotea enjoys playing volleyball, playing tennis, dancing, singing, and spending time with her family and friends. Enjoy the show! Makiyah Turner-Hicks (Antigone) is a twelfth grade student at Poly Prep. Previous credits include Footloose, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon), You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Schroeder), Clue (Wadsworth), Ghost Story, The Outsider, Curtains (Sidney Bernstein), and Lost Girl (Peter Pan). Outside of the theater, MaKiyah can be found memorizing yet another monologue for Speech, running Poly’s fashion club with friends, or passionately typing away at some essay on her laptop. Drew Waldman (Eurydike, Chorus) is an eleventh grade student at Poly Prep. Previous credits at Poly include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Curtains, The Outsider, and Lost Girl, as well as all four years of Middle School performances. When she is not performing, Drew enjoys practicing for her varsity sport lacrosse, running, and shopping. Enjoy the show! Jasper Elanson Whiteley (Haimon) is an eleventh grade student at Poly Prep. He joined the school in sixth grade and participated in a Poly production for the first time last fall, in Lost Girl, and then again in the musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, in the spring. When not performing, Jasper stays busy playing soccer for school and club, dancing, and leading his DEIB Foreign Heritage group. Hope you enjoy! Zeke Wise (Kreon) is a twelfth grader and is excited to be performing in his fifth show at Poly. After not having been in the Upper School play since ninth grade, he is looking forward to performing in this play. Enjoy!
Our Production Would Not Be Possible without the Generous Support of: John Rankin Interim Head of School Michal Hershkovitz P’16, ’18 Assistant Head of School, Academics Sarah Bates Head of Upper School Michael S. Robinson Head of Arts Ashley Hacker Performing Arts Department Chair The members of the Performing Arts faculty, the Engagement & Communications Department, the Admissions Department, the Poly Prep IT Staff, the Facilities and Maintenance Department, the Security Staff, the Kitchen Staff, and the Upper School Deans.
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Join Us for These Upcoming Performing Arts Events Winter Arts Festival Friday, December 15, 2023 VISUAL ART | 6:00 PM | TOWER GALLERY MUSIC CONCERT | 7:00 PM | MEMORIAL CHAPEL Middle School Play: The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood by Mary Lynn Dobson Thursday, December 21, 2023 7:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Afternoon of Student Choreography Sunday, January 21, 2024 3:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Upper School Musical: The Prom Book and Lyrics by Chad Beguelin, Book by Bob Martin, Music by Matthew Sklar Friday & Saturday, March 8 & 9, 2024 7:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Sunday, March 10, 2024 2:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Spring Dance Concert Friday, April 12, 2024 7:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Saturday, April 13, 2024 2:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE
Stay tuned for more information about our upcoming events!