For Hudson Warehouse's 16th Season, they are excited to announce The World Premiere of their original adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's The Man in the Iron Mask. Hudson Warehouse has taken on a four-year long series they've called "The Dumas Adventures." Over four years, they will present Alexandre Dumas's most celebrated works: The Three Musketeers in 2017, The Three Musketeers: 20 Years Later in 2018, The Man in the Iron Mask in 2019 and in 2020, what can be considered Dumas's masterpiece: The Count of Monte Cristo.
Susane Lee, the Executive Director of Hudson Warehouse and the writer who adapted all three Musketeer books for their summer stage, says, "It has been one of my greatest challenges to adapt all three books that make up "The D'Artagnan Romances," which we all know as the adventures of The Three Musketeers. While many have made the first book, "The Three Musketeers" into movies and plays, few have continued The Musketeers saga. We at Hudson Warehouse are very proud that we have followed up on The Musketeers adventures and journey spanning thirty-five years."
Nicholas Martin-Smith, the Producing Artistic Director, who directs this production and also plays Aramis says, "No one had ever adapted The Three Musketeers: 20 Years Later, for the stage, so that was a real thrill for us to present a World Premiere last year. So to turn around and produce another World Premiere, The Man in the Iron Mask, well I think we're really giving our audiences something special." Mr. Martin-Smith also adds, "The cast is really excellent, really stellar. It's very exciting to come back and reprise the role of Aramis, and it's great to have Joe Hamel and David Palmer Brown come back and reprise their roles as Athos and Porthos. I've worked with these guys for years so to take great friendships from off stage and bring them on stage only makes our production so much more meaningful."
The story picks up twelve years later. All The Musketeers have gone on with their private lives, except for D'Artagnan (Conor Hamill) who is still in The Musketeers Corps. Athos (Joseph Hamel) lives in the countryside of Blois and runs a vineyard. He has a son, Raoul (Matthew Palumbo) who has served as a Musketeer for the past 12 years. Raoul's best friend is the Comte de Guiche (Austin Reynolds) and his childhood sweetheart is Louisa (Elle Rigg) with whom he is betrothed. Louisa and her friend, Montalais (Christina Kroell) are hired by Queen Anne (Annette Fox) to be her personal attendants and they leave their homeland of Blois and move to Paris to live in the Royal Palace. Louisa quickly catches the eye of King Louis XIV (Daniel Yaiullo) who soon after begins an affair with her. Meanwhile, Goschwin Nickel (David Arthur Bachrach), the Superior General of the Jesuit Order, is ill and needs to find his replacement. He is aided by the Innkeeper (Dylan Bougis) as he interviews potential candidates, including Baron Wotspur (Charles Kennedy). Nickel asks for a physician (Milton Lyles II) to attend to him. Minister Colbert and right hand man of King Louis XlV (Albert Baker) intrudes on his interviews and lets Nickel know his life's work, bringing peace to Europe, will fail. In the last moments of the Superior Generals' life, another candidate shows up. It is Aramis (Nicholas Martin-Smith).
King Louis XIV must marry the Maria of Spain (Deborah Bjornsti) as part of the peace treaty between Spain and France. But King Louis is very attached to Louisa and enlists the aid of his friend, Comte St. Jacques (George K. Wells) to help in his secret affair.
Aramis has a secret and dangerous mission. He turns to Porthos (David Palmer Brown) to help him get a prisoner, the man in the iron mask, out of the Bastille. But the governor of the Bastille (Peter Sullivan) tries vainly to thwart their plans.
Susane Lee says, "What I didn't realize is that The Man in the Iron Mask is actually three very, very, very long books, which publishers have divided into three very long books. As much as I love Dumas, I felt he did a disservice to the story of the man in the iron mask. So I needed to make his story, and the story of many of the characters, my own, while honoring the spirit of the Dumas novels. It was sad to leave The Musketeers, characters I've spent three years with, and hope I wrapped up their saga in a very satisfying way for our audiences. I'm thrilled to have such an extraordinary cast and creative production team to tell this story."
The Man in the Iron Mask, Written by Susane Lee, adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas. Directed by Nicholas Martin-Smith.
The Man in the Iron Mask previews on July 4th and opens on July 5th. Performances are July 4th - 28th, Thursdays - Sundays at 6:30pm at The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument on West 89th and Riverside Drive. Performances are on the north patio, behind the monument. All performances are "Pay What You Can," with a basket being passed at the end of each show. There are no tickets; just show up and grab a seat on the benches or steps of the monument. It is strongly suggested that you arrive no later than 6:15pm.
Take the Number 1 Subway to West 86th Street, walk to Riverside Drive, walk north 3 blocks to West 89th Street. Walk into Riverside Park and at the monument, take the path that winds behind the monument to the north patio. Or Take the Express 2 or 3, or the Local 1 to West 96th Street. Walk west towards Riverside drive. At West 91st street, walk into Riverside Park, taking the path towards the Monument until you find the north patio.
Performances are wheelchair accessible. Please email hudsonwarehouse89@gmail.com to request a wheelchair spot reservation. Follow our group page on Facebook for latest updates, including cancelation of shows due to inclement weather: https://www.facebook.com/groups/47224708098/.
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