Irondale Theater Sets New Season

One of the country's longest-standing research theater ensembles, Irondale, will headline its 34th season with Irondale Ensemble's epic staging of The 1599 Project, eight years in the making. The 2015-2016 Season also marks a new milestone for Irondale as it unveils the theatre's new presenting series. Irondale will present California's The Independent Eye Theater Company in their New York premiere of King Lear, October 12-13; a newly curated cabaret series, kicking off on October 16 with First Takes, an improvised preview of 1599 in development; and the sixth annual FLICfest, a festival of full-length evening works of six emerging choreographers, January 21-23 and 28-30.

The 1599 Project will be the highlight of the season, running for five weeks. Bridging four Shakespeare plays in one 4- hour uber-text, 1599 refers to the seminal year that Shakespeare wrote Henry V, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and the first draft of Hamlet, and in the process altered his entire dramatic style. When seen together they form one theatrical tetralogy roiling with themes of isolation, power, the security state, usurpation, marriage and death-all told from the point of view of one constantly evolving hero. The narrative re-imagines each of the four plays' protagonists (Henry V, Brutus, Rosalind and Hamlet) as one uber character who is seen growing, altering identities, and, in one case, even changing sex. The original play, eight years in the making, is inspired by James Shapiro's book A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599, with texts adapted by director Jim Niesen and the Irondale Ensemble.

With 1599 occupying the ensemble for the entire 2015-2016 season, Irondale's new presenting series gives audiences the opportunity to get acquainted with extraordinary theatre makers, new and emerging cabaret artists, and lend support, advocacy and mentorship to working choreographers and dancers nationwide.

Throughout the Season, Irondale will also host various theater and dance companies who will utilize the center's versatile space for their productions-showcasing the organization as a Downtown Brooklyn Arts District neighborhood destination.

Irondale 34th Season Calendar Highlights

Oct 12-13 - The Independent Eye presents King Lear

Oct 16 - Cabaret Series, First Takes: A 1599 Improvisation

Nov 13 - Cabaret Series, TBD

Dec 18 - Cabaret Series, TBD

Jan 18-30 - 6th Annual FLICfest

April 13-29 - Previews for 1599

April 30-May 28 - The 1599 Project

34th SEASON LISTING DETAILS

Irondale Presents: The Independent Eye presents King Lear

October 12-13, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25

http://irondale.org/now_playing.html

California's Independent Eye, a pioneer in the American ensemble theatre movement, presents a unique vision of William Shakespeare's King Lear. Played out by two actors within the confines of an aluminum cage, King Lear and The Fool are accompanied by 28 life-sized, hand, and finger puppets operated by actors and master puppeteers Conrad Bishop and Elizabeth Fuller. Lear is the puppeteer of his own puppet show. In his mind, he is the only real human in his motherless kingdom, where love is merchandise for barter. As Lear obsessively plays out his loss of family, power, friendship, shelter, sanity, and hope, The Fool-an acid clown-stage-manages his story until they both succumb to Lear's madness. This stunning two-person take on Shakespeare's King Lear puts an ingenious spin on The Bard's tragic tale of power and distortion of love.

Irondale Presents: The Cabaret Series

October 16, 8:00 p.m.

November 13, 10:30 p.m.

December 18, 10:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10

https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/951504

Curated by Irondale Presents, The Cabaret series provides audiences with an in-depth, up-close look at performance, performance art and improvisation.

Irondale Presents: The 6th Annual FLICfest

January 18-30, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25 general admission, $20 for working artists and students

Tickets will go on sale on October 12.

FLICfest was founded by CatScratch Theatre's Artistic Director Jeramy Zimmerman in 2010 and is produced by Irondale. It is the first dance festival in New York City dedicated solely to producing feature-length dance and was conceived as a platform for choreographers who might otherwise fall through the cracks of traditional producing models. FLICfest has established itself as a performance platform for under-represented artists at various stages of their careers. The festival has featured the work of nearly 50 choreographers. In conjunction with the performances of the artists presented, FLICfest offers panel discussions and workshops to further cement itself as a destination for creativity and leadership in contemporary dance.

Irondale Ensemble Presents: The 1599 Project

Previews - April 13-29

Run - April 30- May 28

Opening night performance begins at 5:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday performances begin at 7:00 p.m., Saturday performances begin at 5:00 p.m.

General Admission tickets are $50, $40 for seniors and students.

Tickets will go on sale on October 12.

The 1599 Project will feature up close and streamlined productions of the four plays Shakespeare created in that one remarkable year, all performed in one evening of epic theatre. Archetypical characters and the distillation of the human experience, appear and reappear as they experience triumph in the god given certainty of Henry V, are swept up in the cynicism and the disruption of established order of Julius Caesar, find respite and seek exile in the pastoral Eden of As You Like It, and descent into genuine and contrived madness in the tragedy of Hamlet.

VENUE INFORMATION

Irondale is located at 85 South Oxford Street in Brooklyn, New York. The theater is accessible by Subway: C to Lafayette; B, D, M, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, or 5 to Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Street; and G to Fulton Street.