The Great Work Begins is a group of young actors who have formed a collective to produce and perform some of the most important theatrical literature of the past. They have no funding, no roof, no grants, nothing but passion and commitment for the idea of theater. They perform one show a summer, and this year they have taken on “Antigone,” the Greek tragedy by Sophocles. They gave four performances at Camp Wokanda on June 13 and 14.

The old scout camp is now part of the Peoria Park District, and there are two sets of bleachers for the audience, and the play is performed under the trees. This production was set at the time of our Civil War, and the two factions were in blue or gray. Watching the young, twenty-something actors I was reminded of the magic of theater; someone comes in front of an audience and through language and skill creates a different place and time that the audience may be transported into. There was no curtain, few props, no scenery; a table, a chair, bird song and sun dappled lighting and yet it worked and just as audiences 2,500 years ago in the amphitheaters of the ancient world, we were confronted with the question of what does a thinking citizen do in the face of abusive state power.

It is always easy to side with the dissident from a distance of time and place. We are able to congratulate ourselves in our enlightened humanity when judging the tyranny of Creon, well played by Charlie Brown, against the noble motives of the grieving sister Antigone, well played by Jess Hemmis. We know who is right and who is wrong, but in today’s hurly-burly would she not be labeled a terrorist, defying a government dictate in the face of the enemy? Or to continue the question, where does one side in this age of Snowden, Chelsea Manning, Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, Ferguson or even the Occupy movement? These questions were bouncing around as I watched the production, and I thank the troupe for their efforts in allowing me the time and space for such worthy considerations.

Cornstock produced “The Dixie Swim Club” directed by the mother and daughter team of Lana Warner and Lisa Jeans. It is a play about longtime women friends who meet yearly, and we follow them over the span of many decades. The play was very well cast. The set was designed and built by Chris Franken, and it gave a good impression of a beach house.

Next up at Cornstock is a musical version of the Frances Hodgson Burnett children’s story “The Secret Garden.” This production will open on July 10 and will feature former Peorian, now Broadway actor, Bart Shatto. Audiences will be able to see a professional actor at community theater prices, not a bad deal.

I reported last October that the Gilbert brothers, Corey and Curtis, were in their hometown of Tremont filming for their upcoming TV series “Convergence” which they wrote and are producing. That trailer is now released and interested viewers may find it on Vimeo. There is also a Facebook page. It is a dramatic thriller. I have seen it and the production values from their P3mediaworks studio in Chicago are first rate. We wish them every success in their launch.