Part I will be available this weekend (17th-20th) and Part II will be available next weekend (24th-27th).
4th Wall Theatre Company, Houston's home for extraordinary performances up close, is proud to present "Sitting with Shakespeare at 4th Wall" - a two-part series exploring monologues from some of Shakespeare's most iconic plays. Husband-wife team and 4th Wall's Founding Artistic Directors Philip Lehl and Kim Tobin-Lehl are featured in these stripped-down films which will be available for a limited time online. "Sitting with Shakespeare at 4th Wall" invites audiences to join classically-trained actor and Juilliard alumnus Philip Lehl as he re-examines six of Shakespeare's leading men in a series of workshop-style performances. The full artistic journey - including essential guidance from award-winning director Kim Tobin-Lehl - is faithfully captured on film to provide a window into the actor's craft.
The project was born out of a desire to allow audiences to explore theatre more deeply even during this time that 4th Wall cannot produce in-person plays. Director Kim Tobin-Lehl remarks, "The truthful aesthetic to which we aspire at 4th Wall requires an iterative and collaborative approach that audiences cannot fully appreciate by only attending a polished performance. We wanted to illuminate for our audiences this process of acting."
Parts I and II span both Shakespeare's canon and also Philip's professional career as he revisits roles from "Macbeth" and "The Winter's Tale" (Stark Naked Theatre 2013/2014), "Julius Caesar" and "Love's Labour's Lost" (Houston Shakespeare Festival 2007/2008), and "The Tempest" (Classical Theatre Company 2012). When asked about the selection of material, Lehl noted, "These are the pieces I just can't shake. I revisit them constantly - before taking on a new project and even as pre-performance warm ups. What better way to deconstruct our artistic process than to meditate on the pieces that have informed me most as an artist?"
Tickets for both parts of "Sitting with Shakespeare at 4th Wall" are available to purchase on 4th Wall's website. Ticket-holders will have the opportunity to view the performances on-demand for a limited time via YouTube. For the latest information about 4th Wall Theatre Company, please visit the theater's website at 4thwalltheatreco.com or follow @4thwallhouston on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Sitting with Shakespeare at 4th Wall, PART I: Tragedies
Conceived by and featuring: Philip Lehl
With material from: William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," "Julius Caesar," and "Macbeth"
Directed by: Kim Tobin-Lehl
Edited by: Jeff McMorrough
Sitting with Shakespeare at 4th Wall, PART II: Comedies & Romances
Conceived by and featuring: Philip Lehl
With material from: William Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost," "The Tempest," and "The Winter's Tale"
Directed by: Kim Tobin-Lehl
Edited by: Jeff McMorrough
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