Ducdame Ensemble Video Promo and Casting Announcement

Ducdame Ensemble has announced complete casting for their upcoming productions of THE MERCHANT OF VENICE and TWELFTH NIGHT, OR WHAT YOU WILL, which will be presented in rotating rep by the International Shakespeare Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Ducdame Ensemble, known for productions that draw attention to currently relevant themes in classic texts, will use a tight ensemble of eight of the company's founding members to take on Shakespeare's timeless tales.

Sean Boyd (Dallas Buyers Club and the upcoming The Magnificent Seven) will anchor THE MERCHANT OF VENICE as "Shylock," and wreak havoc in TWELFTH NIGHT as "Sir Toby Belch." Ducdame's TWELFTH NIGHT will explore the performance of gender and the politics of love. Nicholas Koy Santillo will portray the "Lady Olivia," while Samantha Blinn ("Viola") and Will McKay ("Orsino") get caught up in the unrequited love triangle. Michael J. Connolly ("Malvolio'), Ariana Karp ("Antonio"), Alexander Kirby ("Feste") and Kelly Strandemo ("Maria') will also take on additional characters in the play to round out the full story.

Check out a preview of the season below:

Ducdame Ensemble's presentation of THE MERCHANT OF VENICE will highlight the current struggles and social pressures involving politics, class, and religion. Alexander Kirby ("Bassanio") and Will McKay ("Antonio") will seek a victory over Boyd's "Shylock," with the help of Michael J. Connolly ("Gratiano") and Nicholas Koy Santillo ("Salario"). Kelly Strandemo ("Portia"), Ariana Karp ("Nerissa"), and Samantha Blinn ("Jessica") will portray the cunning women of the production, which will utilize cast doubling as well.

Ducdame Ensemble was founded by graduates of the Masters Degree in Classical Acting program from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). The company's inaugural USA production, a new adaptation of Lope De Vega's FUENTE OVEJUNA, was presented in the NY International Fringe Festival last August. The production was named a "Best Bet' of the festival, and awarded a 2015 FringeNYC Overall Excellence Award. Their previous collaboration with the ISC, DAMES OF THRONES, THE WOMEN OF SHAKESPEARE'S HISTORIES, played a sold-out run at Santa Fe's Adobe Rose Theater in February.

The SUMMER REP SEASON at the ISC will run August 22nd through September 3rd, 2016. Talkbacks with the cast will follow the performances on Monday, August 29th (TWELFTH NIGHT), and Friday, September 2nd (THE MERCHANT OF VENICE). Tickets are on sale for both productions, and can be purchased via the ISC's website. More information about the season can also be found at www.internationalshakespeare.center.

Ducdame Ensemble can be found online at www.ducdameensemble.com and on social media via @DucdameEnsemble.

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