(New York – April 8, 2014) – Shrunken Shakespeare Company (SSC), in association with Joe Paradise, announced today that Nigerian-born Royal Shakespeare Company associate artist Chukwudi Iwuji (The Public/RSC: Anthony and Cleopatra; London Old Vic/BAM: Richard III with Kevin Spacey) has joined the cast of Paul Sorvino’s world premiere adaption of Lear as part of their 2014 Fundraiser Gala, including Broadway, Off-Broadway and TV veterans. The Gala will be held on Monday, April 21st at 7:30pm, at TBG Theatre located at 312 W 36th Street, 3rd Floor in NYC. Paul Sorvino will star as Lear, and he will direct a cast of 19, including his own son, actor, director, producer Michael Sorvino (Stuck, Center Stages; Merry Wives of Windsor, Princeton Rep.). Other cast members include Anne Bates (The Culture Project; 30 Rock), Clodagh Bowyer (Irish Rep, EST, The Sopranos), Robert Bryson (Film: “Desolation Angels,” “West New York”), Yvonne Cone (Shakespeare & Co, SSC, TBG), Dominic Cuskern (Bway: Inherit the Wind; The Pearl Theatre Company), Ryan Duncan (Bway: Shrek; Off-Bway: Altar Boyz), Tyler Hollinger (The Public Theatre, The Mint), Chukwudi Iwuji (The Public/RSC: Anthony and Cleopatra; London Old Vic/BAM: Richard III with Kevin Spacey), Kurt Kingsley (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Jennifer Martina (SSC), Wally Marzano-Lesnevich (Nylon Fusion Theatre Co: The Big Funk), Robert McKeon (Re:Group Theatre, Success Story), Sam Parrott (Shakespeare & Co), Wayne Powers (13 East, Laverne and Shirley, One Day at a Time), Brendan Sokler (Shakespeare & Co), Eric Tucker (Bedlam, Shakespeare & Co, Trinity Rep.), and Stephan Wolfert (Bedlam). This contemporary staging of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, set in 1905 with Lear as the CEO of a major corporation, revamps a tale of a king who decides to divide his kingdom between three daughters. He seeks to give the greatest share to the daughter that loves him the most. Lear, however, is blinded by pride and to the true intentions of those around him. His kingdom begins to drown in a sea of deceit and trepidation. The consequences of his kingdom’s downward spiral reveal the worst and best parts of human nature itself. Sorvino’s adaptation, in which he plays the title role, begins filming on a full-length feature this year. The reading will highlight Sorvino’s technique in interpreting classical text. Ticket holders will be welcomed by a step-and-repeat beginning at 7pm before enjoying the exclusive staged reading presentation followed by a talkback with the cast and members of SSC. A catered cocktail party will cap the evening with cuisine from The Hourglass Tavern, pastries by pastry chefs Sam Householder as well as Lauren Finley of Finley Confections, Coffee Roaster from Parkside Café owner Tim Tate, and beer selections provided by Brooklyn Brewery. Tickets for SSC’s 2014 Fundraiser Gala are $100 each and can be purchased through SSC’s website at shrunkenshakespeare. All proceeds will go toward SSC’s 2014-2015 season, which will include productions of Chekhovs 3 Sisters, Kill Shakespeare, and a Shakespeare play to be announced.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Apr 2014 15:37:18 +0000
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