Marin Theatre Company Announces Cast & Creative Team For DUNSINANE

Today, Marin Theatre Company (MTC) announced the cast and creative team for David Greig's acclaimed play, Dunsinane. Being produced for the first time by an American team, Dunsinane is a captivating, imagined sequel to Shakespeare's Macbeth that explores one man's attempt to restore peace in a country consumed by war.

Macbeth is dead. Under cover of night, the English army has swept in, killed the tyrant and claimed Scotland's seat of power. But efforts to restore order appear futile as the situation spins out of control. Fierce one minute and funny the next, Scottish playwright David Greig's extraordinary ability to infuse a dark story with rich humor results in a lively, vital examination of power-illuminating uncanny parallels between Scotland's medieval and present-day political landscapes around the world. Dunsinane will perform at Marin Theatre Company (397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley) September 22-October 16, 2022. Press night will be held on Tuesday, September 27, 2022. Single tickets ($25-$65) can be purchased online at marintheatre.org or by calling 415-388-5208. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice.

Under the direction of MTC Artistic Director Jasson Minadakis, Dunsinane will feature (in alphabetical order) Brendan Barger (Tom/Lulach/Donald/Kintyre and Ensemble), Aldo Billingslea* (Siward and Ensemble), Daniel Duque Estrada* (Egham and Ensemble), Jack Hochschild (Jack and Ensemble), Kira Keane (Edward the Archer/The Hen Girl and Ensemble), Molly Lyons (Eric the Archer and Ensemble), Josh Odsess-Rubin* (Malcolm and Ensemble), Lisa Anne Porter* (Gruach and Ensemble), and Michael Ray Wisely* (Macduff and Ensemble).

*Actor appears through the courtesy of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Marin Theatre Company and Tam High's Conservatory Theatre Ensemble (CTE) will create two new partnerships during the 2022/23 season. The first partnership opens both companies' seasons as CTE will produce a one-hour version of William Shakespeare's Macbeth in repertory with Twelfth Night and MTC will simultaneously produce Greig's Dunsinane. Four CTE students-junior Jack Hochschild and seniors Brendan Barger, Kira Keane, and Molly Lyons-have been cast in the nine-member Dunsinane ensemble led by Bay Area veterans Aldo Billingslea and Lisa Anne Porter. The unique partnership allows patrons to see one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies expanded into a two-part epic chronicling the medieval battle for Scotland's throne with uncanny overtones of many modern-day international military invasions in the name of peace. Additional CTE students will be participating in the Dunsinane process as assistants and observers.

"I'm thrilled that the years of discussions about how CTE and MTC could partner to create unique theatrical experiences has finally borne fruit in this most important season for both companies. And not just one partnership, but two," said Minadakis. "To open the season with our Macbeth / Dunsinane partnership and to end the season with the first joint Marin New Play Festival is incredibly exciting and right at the heart of our mission. As we continue rebuilding our company and our community dialogue after two years of quiet stages, I am incredibly proud that we are showcasing two organizations working together to deepen the artistry and camaraderie of our community."

Adds Marin Theatre Company Managing Director/CEO Meredith Suttles: "I couldn't be more excited for this idea to finally come to fruition. Like Conservatory Theatre Ensemble, Marin Theatre Company believes that the arts is an integral part of a healthy, vibrant community. This partnership offers a wonderful opportunity for us to achieve deeper engagement with each other and the communities we serve."

"Theatre builds community-a community of ideas and imagination, of dialogue and trust," said Conservatory Theatre Ensemble Co-Artistic Director Julianna Rees. "That's why I'm so excited about this collaboration between MTC and CTE. We share our very real neighborhood, but also the wider realm of the arts. Having more people in rooms together, talking and creating so they can bring their work to the stage is exactly what we all need right now. This experience will build relationships that will strengthen our families, our school, our theatre companies, and our community. What our students will learn will be felt in our classrooms, workshops, and rehearsal spaces for years to come."

The creative team for Dunsinane includes Zoë Swenson-Graham (Fight / Dance / Movement Director), Scott Horstein (Dramaturg), Jeff Klein and Jasson Minadakis (Co-Scenic Designers), Brooke Jennings (Costume Designer), Mike Post (Lighting and Projections Designer), Will McCandless (Sound Designer), Implied Music / Chris Houston and Penina Goddessmen (Composer), Christine Adaire (Vocal and Dialect Coach), and Liam Rudisill (Props Lead).

The second partnership of the season between the two organizations will be the Marin New Play Festival. The Festival will take place on both campuses and will stretch over two weeks from June 19-July 2, 2023. Each week, two plays will receive a week of development, one by an AEA company and one by a company of high school artists. Each play will receive public staged readings at the end of its development week. In all, four plays will be developed during the festival with additional performances and community events. The high school artists participating in the festival will have opportunities to observe their professional counterparts and will also receive masterclasses throughout the week. High school artists will be admitted from across Marin and the Bay Area.

For Marin Theatre Company's current health and safety policies, visit: marintheatre.org/plan-your-visit/covid-19-updates.

For more information, visit marintheatre.org.

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