Montgomery County Community College’s Theatre Arts Program, Drama Club and West End Student Theater will present “The Pillowman” and “Antigone” at its Pottstown and Blue Bell campuses.

“The Pillowman,” by Martin McDonagh is directed by MCCC Theater Assistant Professor Jessica DalCanton, and will run at the Pottstown campus from Nov. 2-4 at 7 PM, Nov. 3 at 12:30 PM and Nov. 5 at 2 PM.

The show focuses on a writer in a repressive society who is being grilled about the grim content of his short stories. This production contains mature themes and language.

“Antigone” by Sophocles, translated by Anne Carson, and directed by MCCC Theater Lecturer Dyana Kimball, will be in MCCC’s newly renovated, 563-seat theater at the Blue Bell Campus.

Performances will be held Nov. 16-18 at 7 PM, Nov. 17 at 12:30 PM. and Nov. 19 at 2 PM.

Sophocles’ play set in the ancient Greek city of Thebes centers on Antigone, who disobeys the law to bury her brother Polyneices, who was killed in battle.

Tickets are on sale now for both shows and are $15 for adults, and $10 for students, seniors and children.

MCCC Theatre Assistant Professor Tim Gallagher said that while the plays are so different, they will appeal to people who are “excited about classical works.”

“On one hand, ‘Antigone’ is engaging from a historical standpoint “about a woman’s place in terms of society,” Gallagher said.

“The Pillowman” will resonate with people who like “detective dramas, or dark, edgy, suspense-filled dramas,” he said.

“Those were the plays that spoke to them,” Gallagher said, adding that it’s “really empowering for our students” to choose which productions are staged.

In addition to picking the productions, students design and build the plays, following months of research.

“They design every aspect of it,” he said. “It’s a lot of first-time designers learning how to do work on an actual production.”

The student performances are part of MCCC’s newly launched Montco Cultural Center, the platform for the College’s arts and cultural programming and venues, including the newly renovated theater in Blue Bell, the Black Box Theatre, North Hall theater, and the fine arts galleries at both campuses.

Learn more about the upcoming student performances on Montgomery County Community College’s website.

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