Richard III and Macbeth Get Fall Runs at Atlanta Shakespeare Company

Atlanta Shakespeare Company presents Richard III and Macbeth this fall at The New American Shakespeare Tavern, celebrating 20 Years of performing Shakespeare & the classics on Peachtree Street.

Richard III

The deceptive and sadistic Richard, Duke of Gloucester stops at nothing to become King. With intelligence, political brilliance, and dazzling use of language, he keeps his subjects and rivals under his thumb... The cast and crew members will be on hand after the 10/25 performance for a Q & A session. The production is directed by Jeff Watkins and featuring Drew Reeves as Richard III.

Writes Drew Reeves, also Associate Producer: Richard opens the play by describing to us a peaceful England: ‘the winter of our discontent'-the long years of the Wars of the Roses have recently ended-is ‘made most excellent summer by this Son of York'-that Son being his oldest brother, King Edward IV. Richard reveals his secret bitterness at this state of events, and that he himself plots to be King. King Edward is already dying, so Richard plots to have the second brother George, the Duke of Clarence, imprisoned and executed by King Edward, after which he will continue his rise to power by wooing and wedding the Lady Anne. He is successful in both.

Richard has many enemies, chiefly Queen Elizabeth's relatives who have been promoted to high positions since her marriage to Edward. He also has very outspoken enemies in the former Queen Margaret and his own mother, the Duchess of York.

King Edward dies and Richard is made Lord Protector to his eldest son, who is to be King Edward V. With the help of his supporters, most notably the Duke of Buckingham, Richard maneuvers to have all who oppose him executed and convinces enough of the populace that young Edward is illegitimate and that Richard should rightfully be King.

Once Richard has been crowned King, he plots to have his nephews, the rightful heirs to the throne, murdered. He also turns against his closest friend and ally, Buckingham. News is brought that many lords are fleeing to join Henry, Earl of Richmond, who is making a claim for the throne, and for Queen Elizabeth's daughter. Richard attempts to win the Queen's daughter for himself.

Richmond lands in England, Buckingham is caught and executed. Richard's and Richmond's armies face each other at Bosworth Field. The night before the battle, the ghosts of all of those slain at Richard's hand visit each camp, predicting doom for Richard and victory for Richmond. Their prophesies prove true and Richard is defeated and killed. Richmond is to be King Henry VII, the first of the Tudor line.

The Cast includes:

King Edward the Fourth - Matt Nitchie
Edward, Prince of Wales, [afterwards King Edward V], son to the King -David Sterritt
Richard, Duke of York - Jacob McKee/Patrick Dyer (shared role)
George, Duke of Clarence - Nicholas Faircloth
Richard, Duke of Gloucester, [afterwards King Richard III] - Drew Reeves*
Henry, Earl of Richmond, [afterwards King Henry VII] - Matt Felten
Cardinal Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury - Nicholas Faircloth
Thomas Rotherham, Archbishop of York - Clarke Weigle
John Morton, Archbishop of Ely -David Sterritt
Another Archbishop - J. Tony Brown*
Duke of Buckingham - Andrew Houchins*
Duke of Norfolk - Nicholas Faircloth
Earl of Surrey, his son - J. Tony Brown*
Earl Rivers, brother to Elizabeth - Daniel Kerr
Marquis of Dorset - David Sterritt
Lord Grey - Clarke Weigle
Earl of Oxford - Daniel Kerr
Lord Hastings - J. Tony Brown*
Lord Stanley, called also Earl of Derby - Troy Willis*
Lord Lovel - Brian Mayberry
Sir Richard Ratcliff -Mike Niedzwiecki
Sir William Catesby - Daniel Parvis
Sir James Tyrrel - Matt Nitchie
Sir James Blount -Clarke Weigle
Sir Walter Herbert - Brian Mayberry
Sir Robert Brakenbury, Lieutenant of the Tower - Matt Felten
Sir William Brandon - Matt Nitchie
Christopher Urswick, a priest - David Sterritt
Bishop - Mike Niedzwiecki
Tressel and Berkeley, gentlemen attending on the Lady Anne -Matt Nichie,
Lord Mayor of London - Matt Nitchie
Sheriff of Wiltshire - J. Tony Brown*
Elizabeth, Queen to King Edward IV - Heidi Cline McKerley
Margaret, widow of King Henry VI - Laura Cole
Duchess of York, mother to King Edward IV - Josie Burgin Lawson
Lady Anne, widow of Edward Prince of Wales, son to King Henry VI - Amee Vyas*
Dead Henry VI - Daniel Parvis
Scrivener - Nicholas Faircloth
Citizens - Matt Felten, Matt Nitchie, Brian Mayberry
Murderers - Mike Niedzwiecki, Clarke Weigle, Brian Mayberry
Messengers - Matt Felten, Brian Mayberry
Ensemble - Jaclyn Hofmann, Adam Kelley
*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Macbeth:

Macbeth is directed by Drew Reeves  and runs six shows only: October 29, 30, 31, Nov 1, 5 & 8.

Upon a "blastEd Heath" near Forres, three Witches, Weird Sisters, meeting the King of Scotland's generals, Macbeth and Banquo, hail Macbeth in a triple prophecy, ending with the promise of kingship. Banquo is told that he "shall get kings, though thou be none". After King Duncan has made him Thane of Cawdor (as the Witches promised), Macbeth knows that he and his unflinching wife are ambitious for the greater honour. She drives him onward; and that night he murders the sleeping King, their guest at the castle of Dunsinane. At dawn (Act II) Macduff and Lennox discover the murder, assumed to be by the King's sons, Donalbain and Malcolm, who fly for safety. Macbeth goes to Forres to be crowned. Remembering the Witches' prophecies, he has Banquo killed (Act III), but Banquo's son Fleance escapes; that night Banquo's ghost appears to Macbeth at a state banquet.

Macbeth goes (Act IV) to the Witches' "pit of Acheron", where he hears that he must beware Macduff, that he is to fear no man born of woman, and that he will remain unvanquished until Birnam Wood has come to Dunsinane. Macduff, meanwhile, has joined Malcolm in England, where he hears that in Fife the tyrant has had his family murdered. Revenge will follow. At Dunsinane (Act V) Lady Macbeth, burdened by guilt, reveals much during her sleepwalking ("Infected minds," says the doctor, "to their deep pillows will discharge their secrets"). Malcolm's invading army advances under the shelter of branches from Birnam Wood; Macbeth, who has just learned of his wife's suicide ("She should have died hereafter"), hears that Birnam Wood is indeed coming towards Dunsinane. Trusting desperately to the charmed life that "must not yield to one of woman born", he faces in battle Macduff, who cries to him: "Let the angel whom thou still hast serv'd/Tell thee Macduff was from his mother's womb/Untimely ripp'd"./ Macbeth is slain and Malcolm hailed as King of Scotland.
-from The Pocket Companion to Shakespeare's Plays by J.C. Trewin

The cast includes: 

Duncan, King of Scotland J. Tony Brown*
Malcolm, Duncan's son Matt Felten
Donalbain, Duncan's son Amee Vyas*
Macbeth, Thane of Glamis Jeff Watkins
Banquo, Thane of Scotland Troy Willis*
Fleance, son to Banquo David Sterritt
Macbeth's Lady Tiffany Porter
Macduff, Thane of Fife Matt Nitchie
Macduff's Lady Mary Russell
Lennox, Angus, a Thane of Scotland Daniel Kerr
Ross, Menteith, a Thane of Scotland Andrew Houchins*
Caithness, a Thane of Scotland Troy Willis*
Siward, General of the English forces J. Tony Brown*
Young Siward, his son David Sterritt
The Weird Sisters Amee Vyas*, Mary Russell, Brian Mayberry
Porter Daniel Parvis
Old Man J. Tony Brown*
Scottish Doctor Mike Niedzwiecki
Murderers Mike Niedzwiecki, Daniel Parvis
Gentlewoman Amee Vyas*
Seyton Brian Mayberry
Bleeding Captain Mike Niedzwiecki
Understudies Jaclyn Hofmann, Adam Kelley
*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

Performance days & times for both shows are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, and Sundays at 6:30 PM. 

Ticket Prices are:
Thurs night:
Main: $20
Box: $17
Balcony: $12

Friday night:
Main: $28
Box: $24
Balcony: $22

Saturday night:
Main: $32
Box: $28
Balcony: $24

Sunday night:
Main: $24
Box: $20
Balcony: $15

An 8% sales tax is added on top of all purchases made at The Shakespeare Tavern.

Discount Ticket Options: $12 tickets for Previews;. Student/Educator prices: $5 off per price level per night except in the Balcony on Thursdays and Sundays. Not valid on Saturday nights. $12 for 10am matinees. $3 off for Military, Seniors, Groups of 10 or more, except in the Balcony on Thursdays and Sundays. Promotional discount offers are not valid closing weekend of a performance.

For tickets, location and general information, visit www.shakespearetavern.com

The Atlanta Shakespeare Company (ASC) at The New American Shakespeare Tavern is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. GCA is a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art. Major support is provided by the Fulton County Commission under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council. Major support also is provided by the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs. But, PRIMARILY, ASC is funded through the generous support provided by people just like you through the Shakespeare Club, the Royals and the Exceptions.

 

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