Shakepeare Theatre's Titus Andronicus Begins in DC, 4/3

The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. will continue its 2006-2007 season with its first-ever production of William Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus. Directed by acclaimed Australian director Gale Edwards, the production runs from April 3 to May 20, 2007.

"Written at the beginning of Shakespeare's career, Titus Andronicus reinvents the revenge tragedies popular in Shakespeare's day, providing scenes of deep humanity alongside the scenes of revenge," state press notes.

For the production, Edwards directs a cast that includes Sam Tsoutsouvas (By Jeeves, Our Country's Good) in the title role, Valerie Leonard (An Ideal Husband, The Odd Couple) as Tamora, with Alex Podulke, William Langan and Colleen Delany. The production is the Shakespeare Theatre Company's second offering in the citywide Shakespeare In Washington celebration.

"When Roman General Titus returns from his victorious campaign against the Goths, he sacrifices one of the Goth princes in retaliation. He then supports the tyrannical Saturninus over his virtuous brother, Bassianus, as emperor. Together, these two events set in motion the play's cycle of violence and revenge. Enraged by the murder of her son, Tamora, queen of the Goths, vows to "find a day to massacre" those responsible. Her marriage to Saturninus ensures her a position of power, from which she can plot and enact her revenge. By the play's end, no one in Titus' family is untouched by the bloodshed and mayhem.

One of Australia's leading theatre directors, Edwards has won The Sydney Theatre Critic's Circle Award three times, a Helpmann Award twice, a Melbourne Greenroom Award three times and a "Mo" Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre twice. She  also has held a position for five years as Acting Lecturer at The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney. She assisted George Miller on the movie Lorenzo's Oil and was Associate Director to Trevor Nunn on Les Misérables in Australia and Vienna. During the past year, her production of the new musical The Far Pavilions ran at the Shaftesbury Theatre from March to September; in Australia, Edwards directed Hitchcock Blonde and also Festen, for which she won Best Director in the annual Australian Theatre Awards.
 
The cast also includes Michael Brusasco as Bassianus, Chris Genebach as Lucius, Christopher Scheeren as Quintus, James Chatham as Young Lucius, Bill Hamlin as Emilius, Julie-Ann Elliott as a Nurse, Ryan Farley as Demetrius, David Townsend as Chiron, Peter Macon as Aaron and ensemble members C. Travis Atkinson, Bob Barr, Danny Binstock, Andy English, Maria Kelly, Kyle Magley, David Murgittroyd, Robert Rector, Ben Rosenblatt, Matthew Stucky and Nick Vienna.
 
The show will feature sets by Peter England, costumes by Murell Horton, lighting by Mark McCullough, with work by Music/Sound Designer Martin Desjardins, Fight Director Rick Sordelet, and Resident Voice and Text Coach Ellen O'Brien.

Visit www.shakespearetheatre.org for tickets and more information.

Photo of Sam Tsoutsouvas by Scott Suchman