ACT! continues season with Henry V
The Andrew College Theatre Department (ACT!) continues its current season with a production of William Shakespeare’s Henry V February 24-26 at the Old Main Theatre. After the success of the season’s first two offerings, Tiger Tales, the Story of Andrew College and Snoopy! The Musical, ACT! director Paul B. Crook is excited about the current performance. “This is an exciting show,” Crook said, “and I can’t wait for people to see it. The work our students have put in has been tremendous and it really shows onstage.”
Henry V follows the recent history of ACT!, by offering a new take on a Shakespearean classic for Cuthbert audiences. The play, which examines major events during the reign of the British monarch has been adapted by Crook, to focus primarily on one of the major battles of the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. In adapting the show, Crook has eliminated several extra plot points and stripped the performance down to about eighty minutes. “We’ve taken a two and half hour play and cut it by more than half. It’s kind of the lean, mean Henry V,” Crook said.
With a theme that centers on Henry’s justification of invading
France
, Crook notes that certain parallels to recent world events can be drawn. He also hopes that one of the things that will hit home in this production is how truly hideous war can be for all of those involved. The show hopes to accomplish that by using what Crook calls a kind of “stylized violence.” Most of the violence and warfare will be seen in a silhouetted form, but should still be effective, Crook said. He also commented that audience members should be aware that strobe lights and fog machines will be used during the course of the performance.
ACT!’s production of Henry V features several actors who are familiar to local audiences. Sophomore Charles Bender plays the title role, with Freshman Byron Cooper as his counterpart, the French King Charles. Freshman Corey Perkins plays the French Dauphin, Lewis, with Freshman Brandon Wilder as Montjoy. Freshmen Adam Logan and Tyroneisha Myles take on the British roles of Exeter and Gloucester, respectively, with the director’s six-year-old son, George Crook, making his stage debut as the Boy. The rest of the cast is rounded out by Glenn McCain, Tonya Colbert, Tamika Dunn, Tasha Branch, Devell Young, Judith Hinojosa, and Jennifer Massot. Also making his stage debut will be Andrew College history professor Mitch Driebe, playing the role of Chorus. The show is stage managed by Freshman Emily Jones, who is assisted by Freshman Elizabeth Phillips.
ACT!’s production of Henry V will be performed at 7:30 PM on February 24th, 25th, and 26th. The show runs approximately 80 minutes and will be performed without an intermission. Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students and seniors. Patrons are encouraged to reserve tickets ahead of time by calling 732-5968 or emailing PaulCrook@andrewcollege.edu. Because of certain staging needs, be advised that no one will be allowed in the theatre once the show has begun.
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