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Click for ALT review, February 15
UPDATE: Review by Clare Carnavan at Statesman A360 "Seeing Things" blog, February 11
UPDATE: Unsigned review at AustinOnStage, February 11
Received directly:
is the first company in the Southwest to stage the new adaptation of
Mary Stuart
a dramatic portrait of royal rivalry between
Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth of England
February 11 - 28 at the Rollins Theatre, Long Center
Tickets available now online or by telephone at (512) 474 - LONG
Now in its 25th anniversary season, Austin Shakespeare is proud to be the first theater in the Southwest to be awarded the rights to produce the new suspenseful adaptation of Schiller's Mary Stuart by British poet/playwright Peter Oswald, nominated in 2009 for 7 Tony Awards for the Broadway production.
Austin Shakespeare will transform the Long Center's Rollins Theater into a runway with audience on two sides, designed for a modern-day take on the Elizabethan era as they perform history’s illustrious high-stakes Tudor love triangle opening on Valentine’s Day weekend.
“This new version brings the clash between these charismatic women to life on the stage with language that is true to Schiller's emotional romantic play,” said Ann Ciccolella, artistic director of Austin Shakespeare. “The masterwork drives to reach a confrontation scene that never took place in history.”
The play is based on the story of Mary Stuart, the passionate and beautiful Queen of Scotland, as she struggles to gain freedom from her rival cousin, Elizabeth, the powerful Queen of England. Each woman uses the same man as lover and protector. Peter Oswald's new, energetic adaptation draws striking parallels to contemporary society.
As in the real-life story, Mary Queen of Scots has quite a resume. She murders her husband, marries his murderer, gets thrown out by the Scots as their Queen and conspires to bring about several murders. Schiller brilliantly condensed her story, beginning the action in the days before her execution.
Helen Merino returns as a guest artist to play Mary Stuart after three years in New York. She last performed with Austin Shakespeare in the title role as a female Hamlet and performed in Zach Theatre’s smash hit one-woman show, Bad Dates.
THE MARY STUART CAST
Helen Merino, as Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland
Pamela Christian, as Queen Elizabeth of England
Karen Jambon as Hannah Kennedy Lady-in-waiting and life- long nurse to Mary
Scott Daigle as Dudley, Earl of Leicester, favorite of Elizabeth and secretly in love with Mary
Tom Green as William Davison, recently appointed as Elizabeth’s State Secretary
David Boss, as Melville, long in the service of Mary as her Chief Steward
Nathaniel Lahay as O’Kelly, rebel and friend of Mortimer
Thomas Stephan as Amias Paulet, the English nobleman entrusted as warden at Fotheringhay Castle to the imprisoned Mary
Sean Martin as Mortimer, the young knight recently entrusted with spying
Ian Scott as Burleigh, Lord Treasurer of England, counselor to Elizabeth
Aaron Black as Aubespine, Special Ambassador from France
ABOUT AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE
Now in its 25th Anniversary Season, Austin Shakespeare (formerly the Austin Shakespeare Festival) presents professional theater of the highest quality to Central Texas, with an emphasis on the plays of William Shakespeare. Bringing to the public performances that are fresh, bold, imaginative, thought-provoking and eminently accessible, Austin Shakespeare connects the truths of the past with the challenges and possibilities of today. Founded in 1984, Austin Shakespeare offers fall and spring sessions of "Shakespeare Studio," the organization’s professional actor training courses. Actors, teachers, parents and students are welcome at the "Shakespeare Aloud" year-round weekly reading group. Austin Shakespeare offers summer camps for high school students at St. Edward's University and camps for children at Scottish Rite Children's Theatre, downtown.
CREATIVE TEAM
Director – Ann Ciccolella
Scenic Designer – Aaron Bell
Lighting Designer – Jason Amato.
Costume Designer – Jennifer Madison
Props Designer – Jade White
Weekly Ongoing Event
Shakespeare Aloud: A Shakespeare Reading Group
Every Sunday from 5 – 7 p.m at 701 Tillery Street, Suite A-8
Donation: $5
Information at www.austinshakespeare.com or follow Austin Shakespeare on Twitter:
@austinshakes
At "Shakespeare Aloud" we read the entire play aloud (approximately an act each week) and stop often to talk about the images, the characters, the story and whatever else we find interesting. Our diverse backgrounds make for lively discussion as we mine each scene for all its gold. This is a cold reading, so no preparation is expected. Please bring your own copy of the play. For more details on the group and how it works, please see our FAQ in our Forum page.
Ann Ciccolella, Artistic Director
Ciccolella joined Austin Shakespeare as Artistic Director in August 2007, following an eight-year tenure at Austin’s Zach Theatre, after serving as managing director and executive at the Austin Circle of Theaters for nine years. Ciccolella led the Renaissance Theater Company for ten years, producing and directing off Broadway. Before moving to Austin, Ann served as associate director for “Shakespeare On Wheels” from the University of Maryland in Baltimore Country.
Last year, Ann received a "Distinguished Service Award" from the City Council for her advocacy in building the creative community of Austin.
Austin Shakespeare is a member of the Austin Circle of Theatres, and is funded in part by the City of Austin through The Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.
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