Kate Buckley, a founding member of Chicago Shakespeare Theater, directs American Players Theatre’s late summer production of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, opening this week in Spring Green. The theater’s intimate indoor Touchstone Theatre stage should provide a warm atmosphere for the intense Shakespearian drama.
James DeVita stars as Antony to Tracy Michelle Arnold’s Cleopatra. As he has shown often over the years with APT, DeVita is extremely compelling in Shakespearian drama. Antony’s conflict between love and duty should make for considerable emotional electricity on DeVita’s part. Also a seasoned actor with APT, Arnold’s portrayal of the captivating complexity of Cleopatra should be equally breathtaking.
Of course, Shakespeare’s stuff was written for a different era and it can feel kind of lopsided in places. Antony and Cleopatra is no exception. Conceived by DeVita and Buckley, this adaptation slices the cast down to a relatively lean seven characters. Just as the studio theater focuses the audience’s attention on the immediacy of the drama, so too does an edit of the script that strips down much of the world that Shakespeare rendered around the two central characters. This should be a fun and fascinating look at legendary characters presented by two talented actors.
The American Players Theatre’s production of Antony and Cleopatra runs Aug. 11-Oct. 20 at the Touchstone Theatre. For tickets, call 608-588-2361 or visit americanplayers.org.
Theatre Happenings
T.I.M., The Improvised Musical, stages its latest evening of long-form musical comedy on Aug. 8 at ComedySportz. A talented cast of improvisational singers and musicians make their way to the stage on 420 S. First St. at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 8. For reservations, call 414-272-8888.
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A new Milwaukee African American theater company, The Bronzeville Arts Ensemble, will present a free performance on Thursday, Aug. 15 at the Milwaukee Brotherhood of Firefighter’s Hall, 7717 W. Good Hope Road. Doors open at 6 p.m. The performance showcases staged drama including a scene from an original play by Adolphus Ward.
TAGS: Russ Bickerstaff, Kate Buckley, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, American Players Theatre, Antony and Cleopatra, Touchstone Theatre, James DeVita, Tracy Michelle Arnold
TAGS Happenings: Russ Bickerstaff, T.I.M. The Improvised Musical, ComedySportz, improvisational musical comedy, African American theater company, free performance, The Bronzeville Arts Ensemble, Milwaukee Brotherhood of Firefighter’s Hall, Adolphus Ward
