Shakespeare Players of RCP Present TIMON OF ATHENS, 3/16-31

The Shakespeare Players program of the Rochester Community Players (RCP) brings the tale of Timon of Athens to life!

Eight performances of Timon of Athens are scheduled between March 16 and March 31. The production will be held at MuCCC (Multi Use Community Cultural Center) on 142 Atlantic Avenue, Rochester, NY. Tickets for the production can be purchased online at MuCCC.org, Ticket pricing is as follows; $15 general admission, $10 Seniors (anyone over 65), $5 Juniors (anyone under 25).

Special group rates are available, for details please contact Peter Scribner, President for The RCP, at 585-234-7840.

Timon of Athens performance schedule:

Friday, March 16, 8:00pm
Saturday, March 17, 8:00pm
Friday, March 23, 8:00pm
Saturday, March 24, 8:00pm
Sunday, March 25, 2:00pm
Thursday, March 29, 8:00pm
Friday, March 30, 8:00pm
Saturday, March 31, 8:00pm

Often considered an unfinished, experimental play by Shakespeare scholars, Timon of Athens comes to the Rochester stage for the first time under the direction of James Landers. Mr. Landers is a local educator who has made a project of finishing and adapting one of William Shakespeare’s least known works. “There has been a tremendous amount of research and critical analysis of the play over the centuries, but I’m not sure anyone has tried to properly finish the play for a modern audience,” explains Landers. “Timon” is the tale of a tragic figure whose flaw is that he is generous to a fault. Timon loves nothing better than to give gifts to his friends which seem to abound. When the money runs out and Timon finds himself in debt, his “friends” abandon him and he retreats to the wilderness to become “Misanthropos”, hater of all mankind. But Lady Fortune is not done with Timon yet.

This Shakespeare Players production is comprised of actors that are both veterans and new to the Shakespeare scene. This cast volunteers their time for love of theatre, and to provide the Rochester audience with a fresh take on plays that were originally preformed in the Elizabethan Era. Timon is being played by Roger Gans who has performed in over ninety productions around the United States. When asked why he chose to be a part of this production he explained, “I’ve never done this play before, and I’m trying to collect as many Shakespeare plays as I can. I’ve done sixteen so far and will never get the chance to perform this one again.” Gans describes the story of Timon as a tale of “foolishness, false friends, and how life can change”. The cast of Rochester residents also features Laura Reed (Flavius), Brad Craddock (Alcibiades), and Phil Frey (Apemantus).

RCP has provided Rochester with theatrical excellence continuously since 1925. RCP's Shakespeare Players present three productions a year: A Spring production of one of Shakespeare's lesser-produced plays; a free Shakespeare in the Park production at the Highland Park Bowl in July, and a Fall Shakespeare play. the 2012 Season continues, after Timon, with Richard III at the Bowl July 2012 and The Tempest at MuCCC in November. RCP's Irish Players program produces an annual Irish play, which is performed locally and then presented at the Acting Irish International Theatre Festival. Our Irish Players open A Moon for the Misbegotten, by Eugene O'Neill April 13 at MuCCC; that production will be staged at the Acting Irish festival in Dublin, Ireland, May 19, 2012.

For more information visit http://rochestercommunityplayers.com/.

Photo credit: Rochester Community Players