Ducdame Ensemble to Bring TWELFTH NIGHT and MERCHANT OF VENICE to Santa Fe

Ducdame Ensemble, the New York-based theatre company, will bring Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE to Santa Fe in their first repertory season with the International Shakespeare Center. The productions will run August 22 through September 3, 2016. Ducdame Ensemble's initial collaboration with the ISC, DAMES OF THRONES: THE WOMEN OF SHAKESPEARE'S HISTORIES, played a sold-out run at Santa Fe's Adobe Rose Theatre this past February.

Continuing in their mission to shed light on contemporary, relevant themes within classic stories, Ducdame Ensemble will use a tight ensemble of eight actors to perform both plays. ISC Associate Artistic Director and Ducdame Ensemble Founding Member, Ariana Karp, is set to direct TWELFTH NIGHT. Karp states she intends to "play with the idea that Illyria is Utopia; both a paradise and a nowhere land. It's a place of wonder, love, music, and confusion, where gender is a performance. It's a story about every gradation of love."

Ducdame Ensemble Founding Member Alexander Kirby will helm THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. Kirby revealed; "What excites me most about doing THE MERCHANT OF VENICE right now is the current political and social climate in our country, and how this play deals so closely with these tough topics." THE MERCHANT OF VENICE will star Ducdame Founding Member Sean Boyd (Dallas Buyers Club and upcoming The Magnificent Seven) as "Shylock." Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Ducdame Ensemble was founded by graduates of the Masters Degree in Classical Acting program from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). The company's inaugural USA production, a new adaptation of Lope de Vega's FUENTE OVEJUNA, was presented in the 2015 NY International Fringe Festival. The production was named a "Best Bet" by theasy.com, and was a recipient of a 2015 FringeNYC Overall Excellence Award.

The International Shakespeare Center cultivates an understanding and love of Shakespeare by partnering with international, national, and local organizations, to make Santa Fe a destination for a comprehensive Shakespeare experience. ISC Board President Caryl Farkas says, "Ducdame Ensemble's commitment and creativity when approaching Shakespeare's text, their impeccable training, and their passion for engaging the audience perfectly aligns with the goals and vision of the International Shakespeare Center."

For more information about the ISC and the DUCDAME SUMMER REP SERIES, visit www.internationalshakespeare.center. A preview video of the season can be found here.

Ducdame Ensemble can be found online at www.ducdameensemble.com and on social media via @DucdameEnsemble.

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