Grove City College students could be forgiven for not recognizing the name of the musical playing on the Little Theatre of Pew Fine Arts Center at the end of the month.

That’s because the full-length musical “Antigone & The King” was written by two Grove City students, Noah Gould and Micah Mooney.

The show, which the pair have been working on since 2017, includes 16 original musical numbers and is directed, produced and performed entirely by students. This is the first time Grove City students have written a full-length musical that will be performed on campus.

“We read Seamus Heaney’s translation of ‘Antigone (The Burial at Thebes)’ in one of our humanities classes in August 2017,” said Mooney, 21, of Sellersville, just outside Philadelphia. “I’d been wanting to collaborate on a large-scale musical theater work and as our class discussed the play, I saw a lot of potential in the story.”

“Antigone & the King” follows Antigone and King Creon as the city of Thebes emerges from a bloody civil war between Antigone’s brothers, both of whom have died in the conflict.

When the king decrees that the brothers not be afforded burial rites, left instead to rot on the field of battle, Antigone seeks justice for her family. The musical explores concepts of justice, fate and allegiance.

“Micah and I were constantly sharing ideas, working them into the larger show and revising to create the final product,” said Gould, 22, of Granby, Mass., a senior at Grove City.

Twenty-six students are involved in the production, from Mooney and Gould to a director, stage manager, choreographer, costume designer, makeup designer, nine actors, three pit orchestra members, a house manager and two students who painted sets.

“It’s been such a joy to work on a personal project with so many great friends and wonderful collaborators,” Mooney said. “It’s been incredible seeing people get (involved with) the project as we’ve slowly seen our vision form.”

Student director and Grove City junior Anna Porter agreed.

“Never before have I been part of something so special in this theater department,” she said. “We’re thrilled to have such freedom to create, and look forward to presenting this show to our department, college and the greater Pittsburgh community.”

“Antigone & the King” will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 and Feb. 1, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Feb. 1 at the Little Theater of Pew Fine Arts Center at Grove City College, 100 Campus Drive in Grove City. Discussion sessions will also take place following both evening performances.

Tickets are free, but seat reservations are encouraged by emailing antigoneandtheking@gmail.com, as space is limited.