HENRY V Marks Roxy Regional Theatre's 32nd Annual Shakespearean Production

What makes a man a king? And, by the same token, what makes a king a man?

This fall, the Roxy Regional Theatre delves into these questions with the company's 32nd annual foray into the works attributed to William Shakespeare. An exploration into the nature of leadership and its relationship to morality, HENRY V opens Friday, November 4, at 8:00pm, for a limited run.

One of Shakespeare's most famous history plays and the final in a tetralogy preceded by Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, and Henry IV, Part 2, the play is based on the life of King Henry V of England and centers around events occurring before and after the battle of Agincourt in 1415, during the Hundred Years War.

At the outset of the story, Henry IV is dead, and his young and brash son has taken the throne. With England in a state of unrest, King Henry V must leave behind his rebellious youth to unite his broken nation. As he leads his troops into combat and experiences the true costs of war firsthand, Henry discovers that the challenges of leadership are greater than he ever imagined.

Starring Jonathan C. Whitney as King Henry, alongside Ryan Alvarado, Mark Atchison, Leigh Martha Klinger, Lauren Mund, Austin Olive, Scotty Phillips, Emily Rourke and Stephen Shore, HENRY V is directed by Darren V. Michael from a script edited by ElizaBeth Coleman.

"A young man suddenly finds himself king in a time of turmoil, a time of war," explains Michael, a published playwright, actor and associate professor of theatre at Austin Peay State University. "Doubted by his own people, his friends and his enemies, Henry must prove to the world and to himself that he is worthy to wear the crown and rule England. In this ninety-minute edition of Shakespeare's great history with only a nine-person cast playing multiple roles, we see The Bard explore the politics of war and examine the ultimate price that must be paid to rule a kingdom."

On Wednesday, November 9, Austin Peay State University's Woodward Library Society will host a pre-show talk entitled "Shakespeare and the First Folio" by Dr. Mickey Wadia. The program, which is free and open to the public, begins at 6:00pm and will be followed by the 7:00pmperformance.

HENRY V is made possible in part through the generous support of Jim B. Marshall. Additional funding support has been provided by John & Cathy Stanton.

Performances run November 4 through November 12 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:00pm and Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, with a2:00pm matinee on Saturday, November 12.

Friday, November 4, is the traditional pay-what-you-can preview of HENRY V. All tickets not pre-sold at the regular ticket price will go on sale at 7:30pm that evening for a $5 minimum donation.

Tickets are $20 (adults) and $15 (ages 13 and under) and may be reserved online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org, by phone at (931) 645-7699, or at the theatre during regular box office hours (9:00am to 2:00pm, Monday through Friday, and one hour prior to curtain).

Military, APSU students and CitySaver coupon holders can receive two tickets for the price of one to Wednesday and Thursday performances during the run. During the month of November, City of Clarksville employees can also receive two-for-one-admission to Wednesday andThursday performances. Valid ID must be presented at the time of pickup.

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