The Department of Theatre Arts performed the Greek tragedy “Antigone” in the Black Box Theatre on April 27.

Theatre Arts Professor Martin Flynn was the play’s production manager. Flynn said that they chose to perform “Antigone” because the play has conflicts that are relevant today.

“Here in the United States, it seems that women’s rights are still under attack. Even though the play is 2,000 years old, the issues of inequality and women’s views being ignored are still current events in the media today,” Flynn said.

Flynn also went into detail about what it was like to work on “Antigone.”

“My job has two roles, when we have to put on a production I distribute funds and I facilitate others so I can help them become better problem solvers,” Flynn said. “I also construct physical production, sounds, projections and costumes.”

Rylee Walker, an 18-year-old theatre arts major, played the titular character Antigone.

“I hope that when people leave the theatre, especially women, that they leave feeling really empowered, that they are worth something and that their voice is important,” Walker said.

Walker said she hoped people would think about the importance of what they saw in the show because she felt empowered by the ability to perform on stage as Antigone.

“Playing Antigone has definitely made me feel more strong with myself,” Walker said. “Performing on stage as Antigone has really made me also think a lot more about how being an actor has allowed me to be closer to my beautiful fellow actors.”

Sunny Mackey, an 18-year-old associate theatre arts major, said he enjoyed being in the play. Mackey performed in the play as the Blind Seer and used a sock puppet as a prop to emphasize the talking points his character made.

“I made the puppet I used on stage,” Mackey said. “I am more interested in the technical side of doing theatre than being really into the acting side of it.”

The stage manager for the play was Slater Saylor, a 19-year-old theatre arts major. Saylor said they decided to join the production because of Flynn.

“Martin Flynn said they needed someone to be the stage manager and I thought about how I would love to because I have been the assistant stage manager in the past,” Saylor said. “I just wanted to help out in any way I can because I respect Martin Flynn and I also really respect the theatre department. I am a huge fan of Greek mythology and I thought that I should do this.”

Saylor also said they hope the play will be seen as a lesson to people.

“I hope people think about how other people around them are treated since this play is about equality and women’s rights,” Saylor said. “I want people to feel like they learned a lesson when they see this show.”