Independent Shakespeare Co. to Present STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), presenters of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival and recipients of the 2015 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater, announce a new work, STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Joseph Culliton. STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY will begin previews on Thursday, October 22, will open on Saturday, October 24 at 7:30pm and will perform through Sunday, November 22 at Independent Studio in the Atwater Crossing Arts + Innovation Complex, 3191 Casitas Ave., #168 in Atwater Village.

In STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY, an actor (David Melville) is preparing to play Richard III in a rapidly approaching production. But his leading lady just quit and her replacement (Erika Soto) doesn't have the faintest idea what's going on. Adding to the confusion, the director is nowhere to be found and his stage manager (Sam Breen) has it in for him. As the three characters wrestle with the complicated family soap opera that is the history of England's royalty, they uncover truths about Shakespeare's kings (and queens) and bring the history plays to life. Interweaving the works of Shakespeare and Marlowe with new, scripted narrative, STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY is a humorous, entertaining and vivid race through 10 plays and 150 years of British war.

Comments writer and actor David Melville, "As an actor who's been lucky enough to play most of Shakespeare's kings in the history cycle, I've been thinking about devising this new work for a while. What's fascinating to me is how brilliantly Shakespeare delineates each vastly different character, although these monarchs all have the same job. And they didn't all do it well. Their stories live in history books, but because Shakespeare wrote these plays, they live much more vibrantly not only for the people of Great Britain, but for those all over the world. Their stories are not just a historical document, this is the original family soap opera."

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST

JOSEPH CULLITON (Director) Joseph is a third-generation American actor in a family whose professional theatre roots date back to 1873. He is a Broadway and off-Broadway veteran, as well as a regional theatre pioneer. Joseph has played classical roles at The New York Shakespeare Festival, the Guthrie, Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, Kennedy Center, Trinity Repertory, American Shakespeare Theatre Stratford CT, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Orlando Shakespeare, Pennsylvania Shakespeare, St. Louis Shakespeare, New Jersey Shakespeare, and the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. He's also acted at La Jolla Playhouse, Huntington Theatre, Asolo State Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Indiana Repertory, Wilma Theatre, Portland Stage Company, Sierra Repertory, Fulton Opera House, New Harmony Theatre, and Stuart Vaughan's New Globe Theatre. Joseph previously directed Independent Shakespeare Co.'s productions of Richard II, and both parts of Henry IV.

The cast of STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY will feature: David Melville, Erika Soto and Sam Breen.

Lighting Design is by Bosco Flanagan. Costume Design is by Houri Mahserejian. Stage Managers are Kendra Arado and Jessica Moneà Evans.

SCHEDULE AND PRICING

STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY will preview on Thursday October 22 and will open on Saturday, October 22 and perform through Sunday, November 22 at Independent Studio, 3191 Casitas Ave., #168, (between Fletcher Drive and Glendale Blvd.) at the Atwater Crossing Arts + Innovation Complex, Los Angeles, CA 90039. Free, ample lot and street parking.

Previews begin Thursday, October 22. Opens Saturday, October 24. Regular performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm & Sundays at 2pm. Closes Sunday, November 22.

NEW TICKETING PRICES

Generous Admission - $35. Support ISC's initiative to provide access across income and age!

General Admission - $20. ISC's affordable ticket price.

Free! 10 free tickets are available for each performance so that price is not an obstacle to attending live theater. Call the office for information and to make a reservation.

For tickets, please call (818) 710-6306 or buy online at www.iscla.org

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