By Isabel M. Castro
The Asylum Theatre, in partnership with Clark County, Nevada, is set to captivate audiences with the United States premiere of ANTÍGONA, an evocative play by Peruvian poet José Watanabe, translated into English by Cristina Pérez Díaz. This powerful one-person play, directed and produced by Artistic Director Sarah O’Connell, will star Gigi Guizado. The premiere will be performed on June 29 at the Winchester Dondero Cultural Center Theatre, 3130 McLeod Drive. Two performances will be on Saturday, June 29, at 2 p.m. (with a post-matinee discussion) and 7 p.m. Tickets are available for $15 for general seating. Following its Las Vegas debut, this one-woman show will tour the Barons Court Theatre in London, United Kingdom, from July 9-13.
Originally presented in 2000 by the Yuyachkani Theatre in Peru, Watanabe’s adaptation of Sophocles’ timeless Greek tragedy is a stark reminder of the deafening silence that often follows acts of despotism. This classic production promises to be a profound theatrical experience that resonates with contemporary themes of power and resistance. Set in the tranquil aftermath of war in Thebes, the Narradora, portrayed by the talented Gigi, will offer the audience a respite from the brutalities of conflict and deliver a powerful narrative on the perils of oppression and the human spirit’s struggle to rise.
“We are once again honored to bring local Las Vegas arts to the world stage through our collaborations with Out of the Wings and Barons Court Theatre in the UK. This work reflects the implications of equivocation in present-day battles between humanitarians and tyrants in our individual lives and as a nation. The Asylum dedicates this production to the ProEnglish Theatre of Ukraine and fellow members of WEST currently enduring devastating acts of authoritarian violence around the world,” says Sarah.
This is a unique opportunity for Southern Nevada theatergoers to witness an extraordinary performance that transcends borders and speaks to universal themes of justice and humanity. Join The Asylum Theatre on this extraordinary stage production and journey, and let the echoes of the power of the spoken word reach the people and the heavens. This play’s journey to the stage is a testament to international collaboration and cultural exchange. This vibrant community based project evolved through the efforts of the Out of the Wings Collective (OOTW), based at King's College, which promotes plays in translation through regular readings, discussions, and theatre events.
“I first encountered ANTÍGONA at an Out of the Wings table reading and was captivated by José Watanabe’s poetry, Cristina Pérez-Díaz’s translation, and the resonances this play has in different countries and governments around the world. I am honored to have been entrusted with premiering this timeless and poignant play in English,” says Gigi.
The community is encouraged to attend this classic production, which provides an amazing opportunity to experience Latino talent interpreting classic works on stage. The international support and collaboration exemplify the hard work, dedication, and love for theatre.
The Asylum Theatre, in collaboration with Barons Court Theatre, a member of the World of English-Speaking Theatres (WEST) association, continues pushing traditional theatre's boundaries, offering audiences a raw and unflinching look at the human condition. As the cast and crew prepare to take ANTÍGONA across the Atlantic, the play’s message remains clear: in the face of tyranny, the voices of the people and the heavens must be heard. Out of the Wings co-founder Catherine Boyle will join The Asylum’s audience from London via Zoom for a talkback following the Saturday, June 29, matinee performance.
The Asylum Theatre aims to connect audiences to new work and artists to each other. Founded in 1997, it is a global gateway in Las Vegas, Nevada, for contemporary voices championing creative collaboration, cultural exchange, translation, and developing new work. It is funded by the Nevada Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts. A bilingual edition of ANTÍGONA with the translation and critical essays by Cristina Pérez Díaz is published by Routledge Press.
Sarah became The Asylum's Artistic Director in 2003. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she served as the Associate Artistic Director of Impact Theatre. She holds an M.A. in Directing from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) and is an alumnus of the Directors Labs in L.A., Chicago, and La Mama ETC in Umbria. Moreover, she teaches at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and previously worked at the American Conservatory Theatre, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, the SF Mime Troupe, and Glasgow's Theatre Cryptic.
Gigi is an actor, poet, translator, and resident playwright at The Asylum Theatre. Some of her credits include her award-winning portrayal and translation of The Therapist (Best from the WEST 2023), voicing “The Boar” in the audio drama We’re Alive: Descendants (Hear Now Palooza 2023 Platinum Award), her microplay Letter to a Clone Manufacturer, and poetry published in The Emerson Review, Rogue Agent Journal, Salamander, Ink Magazine, and The Bluebird Word, to name a few.
Additionally, this project evolved as part of an ongoing international development process with the Out of the Wings Collective (OOTW), a group based at King's College London that showcases plays in translation via year-round table reads, discussions, and an annual festival of staged readings of plays from Spain, Portugal, and Ibero-America. Established in 2008 as a UK Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded research project, OOTW is dedicated to exploring, translating, and sharing with English-speaking audiences the wealth of Hispanic and Lusophone playwriting across history.
For more information, visit The Winchester Dondero Cultural Center: https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/parks___recreation/cultural_division/winchester_dondero_cultural_center/index.php
Tel: (702) 455-7340
The Asylum Theatre:
Facebook: @Theasylumvegas
Instagram: @theasylumvegas
Email: Sarah O’Connell, Artistic Director: director@asylumtheatre.org
Out of the Wings Collective (OOTW)
Facebook: @Out of the Wings
Instagram: @outofthewingscollective