Seonjae Kim’s" Riot Antigone," a new take on the Greek tragedy by Sophocles told from the perspective of a Chorus Leader and her all-grrrl punk band, will be released as an album on April 8, 2022. The official lyric video for “My Grrrls” was released on February 17, 2022.

Reminiscent of the ‘90s Riot Grrrl movement iconized by bands like Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney and Bratmobile, "Riot Antigone" is an original punk rock musical about the power of an individual who dares to carry a revolution upon herself. It’s a ritualistic and passionate rock album as well as an intimate coming of age story told through explosive live music, percussive movement and primal poetry, and a punk chorus.

Co-written by Seonjae Kim and Jonathan Larson Grant Award-Winner Erato A. Kremmyda, “My Grrrls” perfectly captures the spirit of community and female empowerment underpinning the album’s message.

“It is my ode to Kathleen Hanna and specifically the Bikini Kill song "Rebel Girl,” explains the show's creator, Seonjae Kim. “It's a song that celebrates grrrl power and love between grrrls in all shapes and forms.”

The entire cast is featured on this raucous track - many of them have had huge successes since the show and the album's recording - Cathy Ang, who played Ismene, plays Lily York in And Just Like That (HBO Max). and Rad Pereira, who played Haemon, played Victoria in Season 2 of Betty (HBO Max). Also featured are Kasey Huizinga, Angel Lin, Mari Moriarty, Ure Egbuho, Casey Wortmann, JL Marlor, and Julia Rose Duray.

The second single from Riot Antigone follows on the heels of the rebellious lead single and show-stopping number “Girl Riot,” which is out now. The track was recently used in a Marc Jacobs campaign, which you can see at this link.

Originally carried out as an off-off-Broadway musical turned live rock concert, Riot Antigone infiltrated the NYC music scene, headlining venues including Sunnyvale, Arlene's Grocery, Pianos and the Knitting Factory. The live shows were frenetic, well-attended, and empowering for the diverse crowd that they attracted.

The production had a sold-out premiere at the legendary Tony Award-winning downtown institution La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in 2017 and sold out a 120-person house six times, with a seventh show added to accommodate demand. The show had another production at Ars Nova (celebrated Off-Broadway theatre and birthplace to hit musicals like Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1871 and KPOP)'s ANT Fest in 2017, and was featured at Prelude Festival. Riot Antigone has been taught in theatre classes around the world, including at Bryn Mawr College, where there was an educational production featuring students. The book and lyrics are published in the Routledge anthology, Reclaiming Greek Drama for Diverse Audiences: An Anthology of Adaptations and Interviews, edited by Melinda Powers and also featuring work by Luis Alfaro and Split Britches.

“Ever since I read Sophocles' Antigone as a high school student, I was obsessed with its titular heroine, but disappointed that the play ultimately focused on the moral arc of Creon, the male character,” explains creator and songwriter Seonjae Kim. “Around the same time, my angst-ridden teenage self found solace in ‘90s riot grrrl music that seemed to speak to my anger about everything in my life and the world that was fucked up. Riot Antigone was my way of expressing myself through the union of my two great loves: theater and rock n' roll.”

In the nearly five years since its conception as a punk rock musical, Riot Antigone has grown into a vibrant multi-headed project: a band, an educational vehicle, and now, a full-length album. Producer and songwriter Mori Einsidler reflects on embodying the ethos of the riot grrrl movement throughout the recording process, “When I signed on to produce the record, I had never produced a full-length album, nor any music that wasn't solely my own. I feel lucky that we got to authentically capture the DIY spirit of the real-life riot grrrl bands we admire by allowing ourselves the freedom to experiment, learn, and ultimately, shred together in spite of what some might call a ‘lack of experience.’ That sense of earnestness is what makes the show and this record so special.”

A live performance of Riot Antigone is scheduled to take place on April 14 at Elsewhere Zone 1 in Brooklyn, NY. It will be the first time the show has been performed live in 3 years.

Riot Antigone on social media: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Bandcamp.

Photo by Walls Trimble

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