This October, audiences have the extraordinary opportunity to see Shakespeare's horror-play, Titus Andronicus, in a shockingly intimate format. Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Maryland's premier professional classics stage company, will present the bloody tragedy in a Movable Shakespeare production that puts both audience and actors on the move.
The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company will bring Titus Andronicus outdoors to the stone ruins of the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park, October 8-31, 2010 and will perform the play in and around the Ruins as the audience members follow the actors from one location to another. The tragedy depicts the bloody running battle between the Roman general, Titus, and his mortal enemy, Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and her horrifying sons. Rarely performed, Titus is Shakespeare's earliest tragedy -- both an exciting look at Shakespeare's early genius and a riveting, dynamic entertainment in its own right.
Movable Shakespeare has become one of Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's signature production styles and previous Movable Shakespeare productions have sold out most performances. Past audiences have been enthralled by the opportunity to follow the actors from place to place, one moment joining a crowd in front of an enormous staircase, and then peeking through a window as a private scene unfolds, and then moving to gather around a field for a bloody battle. While there are opportunities to sit, much of the time the audience will be mobile, so patrons are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes and dress in layers appropriate to the weather.
Some audience members were splattered with stage blood from the assassination in last year's Julius Caesar. Titus, notorious for its horror movie-like bloody effects, should offer increased opportunities for this kind of intimacy. Because of the graphic violence and sexual assault in the play, this production is not recommended for children under 14.
Titus director and CSC Director of Education, Dr. Kevin Costa, says, "In keeping with CSC's hallmark to intensify the connection between audience and artists, Titus will be staged in promenade style so that audience and actors will inhabit the same space. Not only is this a tremendously exciting way to see and hear the play, it will create the kind of experience where audiences feel involved to the point that they feel personally affected by the choices the characters are making."
The Acting Company includes CSC Artistic Associates Scott Alan Small as Titus Andronicus, Valerie Fenton as Tamora, and Jenny Crooks as the horribly abused Lavinia.
Paranormal experts have visited the Ruins in an effort to meet Annie Van Derlot, a former student of the PFI, who died her first winter at school. Although no member of the CSC staff has met Annie, Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare's bloodiest play, performed this Halloween season, should surely encourage her to make an appearance. With century-old rumors that the Ruins are haunted, patrons are encouraged to bring flashlights for their own comfort and security.
Tickets for Titus Andronicus can be purchased online at www.chesapeakeshakespeare.com, by calling 866.811.4111 or immediately prior to the performance at the box office. Please note that due to limited capacity, patrons are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance. Groups of 10 or more, please call 410.313.8874. For general information, call the CSC offices at 410.313.8874. (9/7/10)
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