Bold New Voices to Screen Royal Shakespeare Company's JULIUS CAESAR, 6/22

Bold New Voices: Past, Present and Future, a collaboration between My Image Studios Harlem (MIST Harlem) and Voza Rivers/New Heritage Theatre Group will present a film screening of the Royal Shakespeare Company's critically acclaimed Pan African production of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, starring an all Black British cast, on June 22 at 7:00pm at My Image Studios Harlem (MIST Harlem), 46 West 116th Street.

The program will include a panel discussion on the history of Black actors performing Shakespeare from Ira Aldridge as Othello in the 1800s to Orson Welles' famed Harlem production of Macbeth to the Public Theatre's multicultural Shakespeare in the Park to the Harlem Shakespeare Company. Panelists include: classically trained actorsDebra Ann Byrd, Dathan B. Williams, Mary Hodges and Julius Hollingsworth.

The Royal Shakespeare Company's all Black production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar had successfully the toured England before it was filmed and broadcast on BBC Television in 2012. Julius Caesar is directed by Gregory Doran, chief associate director of Royal Shakespeare Company. The cast is headed by Jeffery Kissoon as Julius Caesar, Paterson Joseph as Brutus and Cyril Nri as Cassius; with Ray Fearon as Mark Antony and Adjoa Andoh as Portia. The cast also includes: Segun Akingbola (Trebonius), Mark Ebulue (Artemidorus), Ricky Fearon(Cicero/Lucilius), Andrew French (Decius Brutus), Marcus Griffiths (Marullus/Pindarus), Ivanno Jeremiah (Octavius), Samantha Lawson (Caesar's servant), Simon Manyonda (Lucius), Joseph Mydell (Casca), Ann Ogbomo(Calpurnia), Theo Ogundipe (Soothsayer), Jude Owusu (Cinna the Poet), Mark Theodore (Metellus Cimber/Messala), Ewart James Walters (Caius Ligarus/Lepidus),Chinna Wodu as Cinna the Conspirator. The production is designed by Michael Vale, with music composed by Akintayo Akinbode. Lighting is by Vince Herbert, and sound by Jonathan Ruddick. The Associate Director is Gbolahan Obisesan.

"One of the inspirations behind setting Julius Caesar in Africa was discovering the Robben Island connection to Shakespeare and that Nelson Mandela had chosen to autograph lines from the play, asserting that it spoke in a particular way to his continent," said Gregory. " It also struck me that there must be some reason why Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, had translated the play into Swahili. The noted South African actor John Kani put it most succinctly when he told me that Julius Caesar was quite simply "Shakespeare's Africa play."

Check out the film trailer on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/NqZ9RAOgGzc

Tickets for Julius Caesar are $12. This includes a complimentary glass of wine, beer or soft drink. To enjoy Madiba Harlem restaurant's exciting new summer menu additions, the ticket may be used for a 15% discount at the restaurant if redeemed on or before June 29th. Tickets can be purchased at My Image Studios (MIST Harlem) at 212.828.MIST orwww.mistharlem.com.

Bold New Voices: Past, Present and Future, produced by MIST Harlem and Voza Rivers/New Heritage Theatre Group, will hold events on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at MIST Harlem. The Bold New Voices series presents and creates stories about people of color. Programs will encompass African American, Asian, Hispanic and the African Diaspora cultural communities featuring music, film, drama, talk-backs, symposiums, playwriting, poetry, fiction workshops and more