Theater of War’s Antigone in Ferguson adapts the Sophocles play in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement and its specific history in Ferguson, MO following the murder of Michael Brown by police in 2014. Organized and run by members of the Ferguson community working with professional actors and singers from New York and Los Angeles, the show is a powerful re-situating of a Classical drama for contemporary political purposes.

Antigone in Ferguson is a staged reading of Sophocles’ play, translated by Theater of War’s Bryan Doerries, with a major emphasis on the chorus. The chorus combines BLM activists from Ferguson with professional singers from New York, with music composed by Dr. Philip Woodmore. The music is reminiscent of a gospel choir, with a complex blend of choral harmonies and soloists who create emphasis. The soloists—John Legette, Gheremi Clay, De-Rance Blaylock, Marcelle Davies Lashley, and Duane Foster—brought a massive amount of vocal talent to the production, lifting the songs to the heavens. Some of the songs, like the closing one in the performance I saw through Zoom draw directly from the gospel traditions, while others had clear jazz influences. It was also a treat to see Dr. Woodmore conducting on Zoom, because he brought an amazing energy to conducting his music.

The individual performances were strong as well, which is especially impressive for a dramatic reading over Zoom—media that eliminate much of the ability to play off of other performers and to use stage space to create meaning, which are key elements of acting on stage. Creon (Oscar Issac) was probably the most evocative performance, playing the role like a mafia don by turns menacing and mercurial. Antigone (Tracie Thoms) embodied the character’s righteous rage against Creon, against patriarchy, and against the city she accuses of abandoning her. Tiresias gave a really interesting performance, wearing dark glasses reminiscent of Stevie Wonder, but inflecting his prophecies like a revival preacher. He effectively emphasized crucial words by drawing the syllables out and then cutting them off abruptly. And, although he is a supporting character, the Guard/Messenger (Jumaane Williams) actually gave a great performance. When he reported Haemon and Antigone’s deaths, his speech was powerful and full of foreboding.

Probably the most powerful aspect of the performance, however, was the emphasis on community and the drive to build a better world. This was demonstrated through the very fact that the chorus was made up of Ferguson residents, many of whom had been active in the BLM protests after Michael Brown’s murder. But this commitment to community was also established by the framing of the performance, with opening remarks given by Cori Bush, who recently won the Democratic primary for Missouri’s 1^st House district. Bush was active in BLM after Brown’s murder, and she represents a powerful progressive voice for equality and compassion. Having Bush speak before the performance is actually a great Classical reference, because in ancient Greece a politician would traditionally make opening remarks before plays were performed at the City Dionysia. The other framing element was a post-show discussion where community members who have lost loved ones to police violence responded to the performance, and then the floor was opened for discussion from general audience members. This kind of community engagement aligns with Theater of War’s ethos and dedication of building a better world through collective engagement, dialogue, active listening, and empathy.