Genesius Guild revives Sophocles’ “Antigone” in 70th anniversary season

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (KWQC) -The Genesius Guild is continuing its 70th anniversary season with the last weekend of Sophocles’ Antigone, presented free of charge at Lincoln Park in Rock Island.

The remaining performances will be on stage June 27-28 at 7 p.m.

The production marks a full‑circle moment for the Guild. The community theater organization opened in 1956 by staging Antigone in the same park, and the classic Greek tragedy remains one of the foundational works of Western literature.

The play explores themes of freedom, loyalty, family obligation and the tension between democracy and tyranny — ideas that continue to resonate nearly 2,500 years after the work was written.

This year’s staging also serves as the Guild’s annual high school collaboration, featuring local students performing alongside experienced actors.

The Genesius Guild is the only theater company in the United States that regularly performs Greek tragedy in mask, a tradition it has maintained for decades. The group specializes in free classical drama, presenting Greek tragedy, Greek comedy, Shakespeare and other classical works for eight weekends each summer.

Additional productions this season include:

• Special guest performances on July 4 and 5
• Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Cait Bodenbender, on July 11, 12, 18 and 19
• Aristophanes’ Women’s Festival (Thesmophoriazusae) on July 25, 26, August 1 and 2. All performances begin at 7 p.m. in Lincoln Park.

All performances begin at 7 p.m. in Lincoln Park.

The Genesius Guild Theatre Foundation operates from locations in Rock Island and Davenport and is currently conducting a major fundraising campaign to build an endowment supporting long‑term operations. The Guild welcomes volunteers and community involvement.

More information is available at genesius.org or by emailing guild@genesius.org .