Lightridge Theatre is rehearsing four days a week for their fall play, Antigone PLUS, which will run from November 14 to 16.

The original story follows Antigone, and her defiance towards King Creone as she buries her brother, Polynices, against the state’s order. The “plus” has been added to the title of the original work because the play is freely adapted by Theatre Director Brandon Kalbaugh, with an added prologue that includes background information on mythology.

“Big voices, big choices,” is Kalbaugh’s motto when it comes to casting.

“All old school theater is very male dominated,” Kalbaugh said. “I tried to make more room for any gender, to be more inclusive.”

Since Kalbaugh added his own prologue to the play, to get the audience clued in, it will allow the play to have more roles than he originally figured. He also kept some of the original Greek language to give the audience and actors a bit of a challenge.

Antigone PLUS is Lightridge Theatre’s first time doing a “mature” play that will include death and tragedy with incorporated humor.

“It’s a play that starts funny, then progressively becomes outright tragic by the end, ” said Kalbaugh.

Senior Sofia Moscoso, who plays the title character Antigone, originally learned about the play in 9th grade English class, but got to know the character more while preparing for the role.

“I feel like she [Antigone] is really passionate, and I feel like that is something that I can walk away with from this character,” said Moscoso. Moscoso always goes into an audition with an open mind, but said, “whatever happens, happens for a reason.”

Mayson Wu, who plays Creon, got the role because of his incredible voice transformation, dropping his voice several octaves to capture the character’s villainy

“Close your eyes, and imagine you are in that place,” is the tip Wu gives to young actors to help them get into character and be better prepared to play the role.

The tech team for Antigone PLUS consists of Ava Maharaj, Joseph Cecil, and Christian Ewaldsen. For sections of Antigone PLUS, the team is using scrims, which is a see-through curtain, to enhance the story by giving the action a slightly surreal quality.

“We’re gonna use [a scrim] as a silhouette throughout the show, it’s for certain flashbacks,¨ Ewaldsen said.

Tickets went on sale on Oct. 11, and are available for purchase online or at the door.