When I think of newly organized amateur theater groups putting on a show, somehow I’m figuring they will do some light breezy comedy to lure in the audience and keep the acting away from deep characterization and weighty themes. Not so for Cody Innovations, the ensemble that is currently presenting one of the great Greek tragedies – Sophocles’ “Antigone” – on the second floor at Summit Artspace, a Knight Arts grantee.

“Antigone” goes back to 438BCE as a matter of fact. Yet it can still play well and create a good dramatic impact and cathartic moment. The central themes still resonate today – choosing between natural family and married family or the community at large (even one’s national allegiance).

As this story opens, a battle has just been won. The former king, Oedipus, had two sons who decided they would share the throne of Thebes by taking yearly turns at command. You can imagine how long that would last. For them, one year and Eteocles, didn’t want to turn power over to Polyneices. They fought and both lost their lives.

Their deaths left the handling of the state to Creon, one of the central figures in the play. He sided with Eteocles, since he was ruling, and determined that Polyneices, who apparently picked the fight, would not received burial with honors as a warrior.

Treviel Cody as Creon in “Antigone” at Summit Artspace.

Enter Antigone, sister to them both, but also wife of Creon’s son, Haemon. Talk about close encounters. She decides to bury her brother anyway. And that starts the trouble.

The result is, as is usual in the world, the power of the state can prevail, but also as can happen, it can cause more grief to the powers that be than they imagined. In this case, with everyone interrelated, the trouble is closer at home. Haemon (Creon’s son) kills himself because of Antingone’s fate – which is to be buried alive. Soon after the wife, Eurydice, does herself in over the loss of her son.

No one wins. That’s the stuff of tragedy.

The production performed at Summit Artspace is pretty uneven – at least the day we took the show in. On the plus side, director Al Neighborn’s staging, with it being done in the round with the Greek chorus present on the set, and with scant attention to costume, worked quite well in the open space of the hall. The technical crew even built the lights, with construction paper and duct tape – and did a great job.

The problems came with acting and pacing. There are some good actors in this production, like Nichole Strong as Antigone, Jermaine Harris as the Watchman, and Tina Thompkins as Eurydice/chorus member, who were recently appearing in a Weathervane Playhouse production of “Flying West.” Actor Chace Coulter as the wise and ever-present Coryphaeus, has a strong list of acting credentials, and pulled off his role with sound articulation of lengthy speeches and a commanding physical presence, as did Ron Davidoff as Tiresias.

“Antigone” is a talky play. The speeches are long, and that requires deft handling of voice modulation and dramatic emphasis. The actress who seemed to grasp the concept best was Jennifer Browning as Ismene.

L/R:Nichole Strong as Antigone and Jennifer Browning as Ismene in “Antigone” at Summit Artspace.

The Chorus of six to nine was often hard to follow. Voices weren’t always in sync, nor were the emphatic moments within the text. One actor wasn’t off book yet and was reading from cue cards.

This production has its amateur edge, but it’s commendable that some group is trying to bring quality historical drama to the area. If you haven’t seen “Antigone” or any of the Greek tragedies, here’s the chance.

Sophocles’ “Antigone” will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and at 3:30 p.m. Sunday through October 27 on the second floor at Summit Artspace, 140 E. Market St., Akron; 330-376-8480; www.akronareaarts.org. Tickets are $10 ($7 for students/seniors).