HENRY V, A DOLL'S HOUSE and THE BIRDS Set for Classical Theatre Company's 2015-16 Season
By: BWW News Desk May. 12, 2015
The Classical Theatre Company (CTC) is proud to announce the lineup for its 2015-2016 Mainstage Season. As the only professional theatre company in the State of Texas that solely produces classical drama on a year-round basis, CTC only produces plays that are 100 or more years old.
Henry V
Directed by TBA
October 14 - November 1, 2015
After a season-long hiatus from The Bard, CTC brings Shakespeare to life on its stage once more. As one of Shakespeare's finest "history plays," Henry V centers around the events leading up to, and following, the famous Battle of Agincourt. This English victory saw King Henry's forces take on, and defeat, a vastly superior French army. This remarkable feat lives on in the annals of military history, and will be celebrating its 600th anniversary on October 25, 2015. "This is a play that makes commentary on a wide variety of topics, not the least of which is the horrors of war," says CTC Executive Artistic Director John Johnston. "Unfortunately, there never seems to be a shortage of warfare to examine, so this play is ever relevant."
A Doll's House
By Henrik Ibsen
Directed by John Johnston
February 3 - February 26, 2016
Classical Theatre Company will return to the father of modern drama, Henrik Ibsen, for the first time since producing Ghostsin 2010. This stirring drama was highly controversial when it was originally produced in 1879, as it brought to light the status that women held not only in Victorian Norway, but also the Victorian West as a whole. The plight of women in their struggle for equality continues to this very day, some 130 years after Nora raised the hackles of her Norwegian audiences with her enlightenment. "The fact that women in this country still don't have equal rights is astonishing to me," says director John Johnston. "In the workplace as well as in the home, many women are treated as second-class citizens. They are undermined, underpaid, and many of them are overworked. We only need to look at the quotes from our politicians to know that this is an issue that still needs to be addressed."
The Birds
By Aristophanes
Directed by Philip Hays
April 6 - April 24, 2016
Not since 2009's Antigone has CTC produced an ancient Greek play, and never before a Greek comedy. The Birds is one of the most revered comedies written by the great Greek playwright Aristophanes. As all of his comedies are, The Birds is thick with commentary on the sociopolitical environment of the time, and the relative absurdity of human nature. "Aristophanes provides his views on religion and criticism of the governmental construct that he saw around him. Needless to say, his views and the debates around which they center are still topics of discussion today," says CTC chief John Johnston. "Any play where you've got a flock of talking birds setting themselves up to be the gods of men is going to draw some laughs. I'm really excited to see what [director] Philip Hays does with this zany script." This production is to be directed by CTC Company Artist Philip Hays with scenic design by CTC Company Artist Ryan McGettigan and costumes by Macy Perrone.
In addition to Classical Theatre Company's three productions in the 2015-2016 Mainstage Season, CTC will also offer a return engagement of the critically acclaimed production of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
A Christmas Carol
Adapted by John Johnston & Matthew Keenan
Directed by Philip Hays
December 2 - December 24, 2015
This brand-new adaptation of this holiday classic promises to create a unique and visceral experience for its audiences. This new script is very strongly tied to the great and famous words that Dickens penned nearly 175 years ago. Adapted by CTCExecutive Artistic Director John Johnston and CTC Company Artist Matthew Keenan, they were drawn to this iconic piece of literature through various productions in which they both were actors. "We've both been in productions of dramatized versions of this story," says Keenan, "and we each felt that this is the ultimate Christmas story, but that we hadn't really experienced a production that faithfully adhered to the words which Dickens wrote. We want to get back to the roots of this piece." To be directed by CTC Resident Artist and award-nominated director Philip Hays, A Christmas Carol will simply and creatively thrill our audiences with this age-old story of redemption and hope.
Classical Theatre Company is located at 4617 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006. Tickets Range from $10 - $30. Available online at www.classicaltheatre.org/tickets.
The Classical Theatre Company is dedicated to boldly re-envisioning classical drama on the stage, in the community, and in the classroom through engaging and enlightening plays - bringing them new life and relevance while maintaining the integrity that the works deserve.
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