Classical Greek Theatre Festival: Antigone

The astonishing thing about dramatic works that are more than 2,000 years old isn’t simply that they’re still produced and performed at all. It’s that thoughtful, creative people can still find ways to explore our contemporary world through stories that go back millennia.

This year, the 42nd Classical Greek Theatre Festival takes on Sophocles’ Antigone, the story of a woman who defies the edict of a king in order to properly bury the body of her brother, who has been vilified after coming out on the losing side of a civil war. Director Larry West took his inspiration for the costume design from the Arab Spring uprisings, and incorporates original choreography by Darlene Casanova.

After its debut this week at Westminster College, the production begins a month-long tour to venues in Utah and Colorado, including performances at Red Butte Garden on Sept. 22-23 and 29-30. (Scott Renshaw)

Classical Greek Theatre Festival: Antigone @ Westminster College Richer Commons, 1840 S. 1300 East, 801-484-7651, Sept. 7, 5 p.m., $10. Additional performances and venues through Oct. 6, visit WestminsterCollege.edu/greek_theatre for full schedule.