WILL ON THE HILL Raises $500,000 For Shakespeare Theatre Company

The West Wing's Melissa Fitzgerald, Broadway actor Heath Saunders, Emery Battis Award-winner Victoria Frings and Ken Clark, currently playing King Arthur in Camelot at STC, recently joined Members of Congress and notable Washingtonians onto the stage at Sidney Harman Hall to perform in Will on the Hill. Now in its sixteenth year, the much-loved bipartisan event took place on June 11 and raised $500,000 for the theatre's education and community outreach programs.

Directed by STC Artistic Associate Craig Baldwin, My Kingdom for a Farce is an original script written by Michael Trottier with assistance from D.C.'s West Wing Writers. Inspired by the Bard's most famous lovers, tricksters, tragic heroes and dastardly villains, the story follows a mysterious but wealthy candidate who decides to run for office, but decides he wants his campaign staffed completely by Shakespeare characters.

To open the main show, students from Charles Flowers High School delivered a unique 1990s-themed performance from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. The young actors are part of Text Alive!, one of STC's many educational, artistic and community engagement programs that inspire new and diverse audiences and deepen the connection to classical theatre in learners of all ages.

"The Text Alive! program is a perfect example of the programs supported by Will on the Hill's fundraising efforts," said STC Senior Director of Education Samantha Wyer Bello. "Our education work is made possible by Will on the Hill and its many generous supporters. We're incredibly grateful to everyone who participated and donated their time to help make this year's event a success."

ABOUT THE CAST

Ken Clark is currently playing King Arthur in STC's production of Camelot. His Broadway credits include Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812. Victoria Frings was last seen at STC in The School For Lies in 2017. Following his role as Feste in the Helen Hayes Award-winning Twelfth Night at STC, Heath Saunders was most recently seen in the title role of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. Members of Congress joining the cast included: Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Chris Coons (D-DE); Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR); Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); Gerry Connolly (D-VA); Brendan Boyle (D-PA); Darrell Issa (R-CA); former Representatives Jeff Miller (R-FL, and Senior Legislative Advisor, McDermott Will & Emery) and Jim Moran (D-VA, and Senior Legislative Advisor, McDermott Will & Emery). Other illustrious cast members included: Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr ( At-Large Member of the D.C. Council); The Honorable Ryan Zinke; Bob Cusack (Editor in Chief for The Hill); Grover Norquist (President, Americans for Tax Reform); Gregory Angelo (President, Log Cabin Republicans); Steve Case (Chairman and CEO, Revolution); Ron Christie (Political Strategist); Steve Clemons (Editor at Large, The Atlantic); Kelly Jane Torrance (Deputy Managing Editor, The Weekly Standard); David Bohigian (EVP, Overseas Private Investment Corporation); Christina Sevilla (Deputy Assistant, USTR); Melissa Fitzgerald (The West Wing and National Association of Drug Court Professionals); John Feehery (Partner, EFB Advocacy); Dana Bash (Chief Political Correspondent, CNN); Marla Allard; and, Maggie Coons.

WILL ON THE HILL COMMITTEE 2018

Bernie McKay, Co-Chair, Intuit, Inc; Karishma Page, Co-Chair, K&L Gates LLP; Nick Allard, Past Chairman, Dentons; Michael Bahar, Eversheds Sutherland; Janet C. Boyd, The Dow Chemical Company; Carol Danko, Overseas Private Investment Corporation; Michelle Dimarob, Altria Group; Gloria Story Dittus, Story Partners; Mike House, Past Chairman, Hogan Lovells US LLP; John Howes, Computer and Communications Industry Association; Karen Kuhlman, United Air; Gail MacKinnon, Motion Picture Association of America; Emily Weems, Capital One; Steve Ryan, Past Chairman, McDermott Will & Emery; June Silverberg, Silverberg Associates; Julie Slocum, Wells Fargo & Co; Rich Whiting, Past Chairman, American Association of Bank Directors; Bill Womack, Deloitte, LLP; Jonathan Yarowsky, WilmerHale.

SUPPORT FOR WILL ON THE HILL

Will on the Hill is made possible in part by its Lead Sponsors: Deloitte LLP and Intuit Inc.Media Sponsor: THE HILL Executive Level Sponsor: McDermott Will & Emery Director Level Sponsors: Aflac | Nick and Marla Allard | Altria Group | Brown-Forman Corporation | Capital One | Green Dot Corporation | Hogan Lovells US LLP | Humana Inc. | K&L Gates LLP | Stephen & Lisa Ryan | WilmerHale
Producer Level Sponsors: Computer and Communications Industry Association | Cozen O' Connor | Debbie Driesman and Frank F. Islam | Goldman Sachs & Co.| Nissan North America, Inc. | Vulcan Materials Company Foundation | West Wing Writers | Lynn and Jonathan Yarowsky
Patron Level Sponsors: Alston & Bird LLP | Americans for Tax Reform Foundation | AT&T Services, Inc. | Bloomberg Philanthropies | Dun & Bradstreet | Ernst & Young LLP | Mike and Gina House | Gail and Jeff MacKinnon | Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals | Bernard and Mary McKay | Oracle Corporation | Karishma and Jonathan Page | Quicken Loans | Reset Public Affairs | Roberti Global | Sovereign Strategy Limited | Story Partners | TPG Capital | Wells Fargo Philanthropy | Whirlpool Corporation
Benefactor Level Sponsors: Association of Flight Attendants-CWA | Capitol Counsel LLC | Capitol Tax Partners | City National Bank Private Bank | Cornerstone Government Affairs, LLC | Cox Enterprises, Inc. | Fierce Government Relations | Forbes Tate Partners | Franklin Square Group | FTI Consulting | Alice and John Goodman | Greenberg Traurig LLP | Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP | Motion Picture Association of America | National Association of Realtors | National Credit Union Foundation | National Multifamily Housing Council | Navigators Global | The OB-C Group, LLC | OCNC Group | The Smith Free-Group LLC | Software and Information Industry Association | Southern Company | Time Warner Inc. | United Airlines | The Walt Disney Company | Xcel Energy
Supporter Level Sponsors: Ameresco | Janet C. Boyd | Ms. Carol Danko | Davis & Harman LLP | Michelle Dimarob | Michael Evans | Grant Thornton LLP | International Brotherhood of Boilermakers | Kovler Fund of the Community Foundation of the National Capital Region | Melissa Moss and Jonathan Silver | Andy Navarrete | Rachel Pearson | Ms. Julie Slocum | Viacom | Washington Resource Associates

ABOUT Shakespeare Theatre Company

Recipient of the 2012 Regional Theatre Tony Award, the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) is the nation's leading premier classical theatre company. Today, STC is synonymous with artistic excellence and making classical theatre more accessible to audiences in and around the nation's capital.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Kahn and Executive Director Chris Jennings, STC's innovative productions inspire dialogue that connects classic works to the modern human experience. The Company focuses on works with profound themes, complex characters and poetic language written by Shakespeare, his contemporaries and the playwrights he influenced in order to preserve and promote classic theatre-ambitious, enduring plays with universal themes-for all audiences.

A leader in arts education, STC has a stable of initiatives that teach and excite learners of all ages, from school programs and adult acting classes to accessible community programming like play-relevant discussion series and the Free for All. For the past 25 years the Free For All program has offered an annual remount of a popular production completely free of charge to all audience members.

Located in downtown Washington, D.C., STC performs in two theatres, the 451-seat Lansburgh Theatre and the 774-seat Sidney Harman Hall. In addition to STC productions appearing year-round, these spaces also accommodate presentations from outstanding local performing arts groups and nationally renowned organizations. The Company has been a fixture in the vibrant Penn Quarter neighborhood since 1992.

Photo caption:The cast of Will on the Hill 2018 joined by students from Charles Flowers High School, the Will on the Hill Committee, and supporters. Photo credit: Kevin Allen

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