Pavel Kriz stars in King Lear and As You Like It, May 19-29 at Vysehrad

Pavel K?íž Stars in PSF's
King Lear & As You Like It

The Prague Shakespeare Festival, Guy Roberts Artistic Director, and the Classical Theatre Company, John Johnston Executive Artistic Director, are proud to announce an exciting and unprecedented collaboration for Czech and Houston audiences and artists alike: rotating repertory productions of Shakespeare's King Lear and As You Like It, directed by Guy Roberts, starring Czech superstar Pavel K?íž and featuring a multinational company of artists from America and Europe.

As You Like It and King Lear will play in Houston, Texas at Main Street Theater's Chelsea Market Stage, 4617 Montrose Blvd, April 21 - May 1, 2011 and then subsequently at Vyšehrad (Vyše Castle) in Prague, Czech Republic, May 19 - May 29, 2011.

Performed in English, both plays come to life via a unique artistic ensemble for the project, combining the best of PSF and CTC talent. Audiences and artists in both Europe and the US will have the opportunity to benefit from the experience and cultural sensibilities of like-minded multiNational Theatre artists as they join forces to illuminate two of Shakespeare's most beloved and revered plays. John Johnston, Executive Artistic Director of Classical Theatre Company says, "This exciting partnership between PSF and CTC is the first international collaboration of its kind (a Houston theatre company and a European theatre company jointly creating a production that plays in both Houston and Europe) since the Alley Theatre did something similar back over fifteen years ago."

Widely acknowledged as Shakespeare's greatest tragedy and one of the greatest English-language plays ever written, King Lear is the devastating story of an aging monarch whose decision to divide his kingdom between his three daughters to prevent "future strife" only succeeds in sparking an avalanche of greed, betrayal and ruthlessness. Seduced by flattering professions of false love from his oldest daughters, Lear banishes his youngest daughter, Cordelia, for refusing to participate in the game of "which of you shall we say doth love us most?" Lear's rash actions annihilate his kingdom, his family and his mind. Director Guy Roberts says, "A towering exploration of a world in which everything is in domestic, spiritual and political upheaval bringing to the forefront questions on the nature of love and duty, power and loss, old age and youth, good and evil, King Lear is as resonant today as it was in 1606 when first performed and as it will be hundreds of years from now."

Of As You Like It, Roberts says, "For Shakespeare love was a madness that drove people to do extraordinary things. It was a disease that could bring ultimate sorrow as in Lear or ultimate happiness as in As You Like It." Set in the mythical Forest of Arden, As You Like It is one of William Shakespeare's most beloved and vibrant comedies. Sparkling with wit, this joyous tale of a girl disguised as a boy - who tempts the man she loves to fall for the boy she isn't - is flavored with all the longing and pain of everyone's first big romance. Uplifting, awe-inspiring and immense fun, Shakespeare's wondrous comedy is a joyous celebration of the liberating power of love, the redeeming spirit of nature and speaks that unforgettable truth, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."

The productions will be adapted and directed Guy Roberts, Artistic Director of the Prague Shakespeare Festival. Czech superstar Pavel K?íž will star in As You Like It as Jaques and in King Lear as The Fool. Longtime Houston favorite, Rutherford Cravens will play the title role in King Lear in Houston and will alternate the role of Lear in the Czech Republic with Steve Zinkgraf. The productions are underwritten in part by PZ Adventures and are produced by the Classical Theatre Company and the Prague Shakespeare Festival.

PAVEL K??Ž
(LEAR: The Fool & AYLI: Jaques)
Pavel K?íž, "the King of the Dance" and recent winner of StarDance IV (the Czech version of the international hit Dancing with the Stars), is an award winning actor in the Czech Republic. Following his graduation from the Prague Conservatory, Mr. Kríz starred in numerous TV series, shows and leading parts in Czech films including Angel Eyes, The Brave Blacksmith, Scent of Vanilla, In Death Alone and his beloved and iconic appearances as Stephan Safranek in Dusan Klein's Poet saga: The World Comes as a Poet, How Poets Lose Their Illusions, How Poets Enjoy Life, End of Poets and Poets Never Lose Hope. His latest film is The Little Knights. He has worked on many Prague stages. As a member of the National Theater he played Caesar in Anthony and Cleopatra, among many other leading roles. Prominent work in international productions includes supporting roles in Dune, Children of Dune for ABC and Zhivago with Keira Knightly. He has taught film acting at the Langar College, University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, as well as at the NW Actors Studio in Seattle.

Rutherford Cravens
(LEAR: Lear & AYLI: Corin)
A member of Actors' Equity for 42 years, he is producer/director of Shakespeare Outreach, Houston's only free touring theatre. A twenty year veteran of the Houston Shakespeare Festival, for HSF he has directed Troilus and Cressida, King John, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Measure for Measure, and Two Gentleman of Verona, and has appeared in numerous roles including Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream (twice), Claudius in Hamlet, Don Armado in Love's Labor's Lost, Titus in Titus Andronicus, Touchstone in As You Like It, Gloucester and Kent in two productions of King Lear, Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing and Caesar in Julius Caesar among numerous others. At the Alley Theatre he has appeared in Taking Steps, Arms and the Man, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Antony and Cleopatra, and Julius Caesar. At Stages Repertory Theatre he appeared in, among others, Castro's Beard, Silence, Good Boys, The Drawer Boy, Betty's Summer Vacation, The Unseen, The Laramie Project, Panto Cinderella, and Amy's View. At Main Street Theater he has appeared in Arcadia, A Number, The Weir, What the Butler Saw, and Mr. Pim Passes By. At Theatre Under the Stars he appeared in 1776, Brigadoon, and West Side Story. Recent film and television appearances include featured roles in Alamo, Friday Night Lights, Ray, Into the West, the Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men, and the HBO film, Temple Glandin. He has written two plays, Wondergirl and Zero Tolerance, both of premiered at Main Street Theater.

King Lear Performance Schedule

Houston
Thursday, April 21, 2011 @ 7:30pm - Preview
Friday, April 22, 2011 @ 7:30pm - Opening
Saturday, April 23, 2011 @ 7:30pm
Sunday, April 24, 2011 @ 2:30pm
Monday, April 25, 2011 @ 7:30pm - Industry Night with reception
Friday, April 29, 2011 @ 7:30pm
Sunday, May 1, 2011 @ 2:30pm - Closing with reception

Prague
Saturday, May 21 @ 19:00 (7:00pm)
Sunday, May 22 @ 19:00 (7:00pm)
Tuesday, May 24 @ 19:00 (7:00pm)
Thursday, May 26 @ 19:00 (7:00pm)
Saturday, May 28 @ 19:00 (7:00pm)

 

 

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