Professional staged reading of Shakespeare's King Lear by Austin Shakespeare, with Franchelle S. Dorn as Lear, directed by Ann Ciccolella.
Austin Shakespeare is bringing Lear to The Long Center this November, and they're doing it as a staged reading rather than a fully blocked production. If you've never seen a staged reading, it's a bit different from a standard play: the actors stay on their books, and the focus shifts toward the text itself, with the storytelling carried by the voices and the writing. This one is directed by Ann Ciccolella, the Artistic Director of The Long Center, and staged by Austin Shakespeare.
Franchelle S. Dorn takes the title role of Lear, and she's joined by Marc Pouhé as the Fool, Helen Merino as Cordelia, and Amani and Mary Dorn as Goneril and Regan. Even with the reading format, the production isn't stripped bare. It's built around scenic projections and music, and the costumes—modern with medieval touches—come from Aaron Kubacak. Patrick W. Anthony handles the lighting, and Lowell Bartholomee is behind the projections. Between the projections and the music, it's a more atmospheric take on the play than you might expect from a reading.
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It's a professional production, and everyone needs a ticket to get in. There are two performances: Saturday, November 21, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, November 22, at 3:00 PM. If you're a fan of the play, this is a good chance to hear it read aloud by a full cast without the usual distractions of a big set.
