Antigone in the Oval Office

A provocative spin on a classic tale resonates deeply as Americans count down to Election 2008. In this contemporary Antigone, characters from the original Greek text slip into their modern counterparts in America’s political landscape. Thrust into the Oval Office after the sudden and tragic death of President Oedipus, Vice President Creon faces national crises that become personal very quickly as his goddaughter Antigone challenges his wartime martial law. The palace in Thebes becomes the Oval Office and the traditional Greek chorus is replaced by the President’s Cabinet, the White House Press Corps, and White House staff.

Warning: This timely translation may lead to heated discussions of parallels and pitfalls.