Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare
directed by Troy Apostol

July 9 - July 18

I come to bury Caesar,
not to praise him ...

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Synopsis
E ao i ka lā 'umikūmālima o Malaki (Beware the Ides of March) ...

 -- Soothsayer, Act 1 Scene 2

Julius Caesar returns home victorious after battle to be crowned by an adoring public. But evil portents and visions in the night sky inflame those who fear his ambition. A small band of conspirators plot to assassinate Caesar before he can ascend the throne. His death and the resulting power struggle catapult the land into war, pitting friend against friend, as the ghost of Caesar stalks the battlefield ...

Set in ancient Hawai'i shortly after Western contact, this production uses hula, chant and Hawaiian musical accompaniment and highlights the supernatural elements of this classic political saga.

How many ages hence

Shall this our lofty scene be acted over

In states unborn and accents yet unknown!

-- Cassius, Act 3, Scene 1

Companion Lecture
FREE companion lecture, Saturday, July 10 at 6:30pm

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Measure for Measure
by William Shakespeare
directed by Linda Johnson

July 23 - August 1

Some rise by sin,
and some by virtue fall ...

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Synopsis
A dark comedy of justice, mercy, corruption, hypocrisy, purity, power and sexual attraction and set in the ultra-religious near-future.

 Duke Vincentio transfers his powers and duties to his deputy, Angelo, in order that the people fear and detest him for cleaning up the town's prostitution rather than the Duke. The Duke leaves town and plans to watch the proceedings by posing as a friar. Angelo using harsh judgment insists that Claudio be executed for impregnating his fiancé. Isabella, a novice of the church arrives and begs Angelo to spare her brother. Charmed by her grace and virtue, Angelo decides to free Claudio if she sleeps with him. The play focuses on the characters’ struggle with their choices between good and evil, and how they interpret religious teachings to justify their decisions of what is right and wrong.

The very mercy of the law cries out
Most audible, even from his proper tongue
"An Angelo for Claudio, death for death!"
Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure
Like doth quit like, and measure still for measure ...

Companion Lecture
FREE companion lecture, Saturday, July 31 at 6:30pm

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Henry VI
by William Shakespeare
directed by Tony Pisculli

August 13 - August 22

The first thing we do,
let's kill all the lawyers ...

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Synopsis
Henry VI, Parts 1, 2 & 3 are the "middle bit" of a larger, eight-play cycle that begins with Richard II and concludes with Richard III.

After Henry V famously unites England and France he dies, leaving his infant son king at the tender age of nine months.

The power vacuum results in immediate war with France (led by Joan of Arc) and multiple internal power struggles, including the darkly-comic commoner's rebellion, the famous "War of the Roses" between the Houses of Lancaster and York and the rise of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later crowned Richard III.

This all-female production presents the entire trilogy in a single, brisk evening.

Companion Lecture
FREE companion lecture, Saturday, August 14 at 6:30pm

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Read part one, Read part two, Read part three