麻豆传媒 City University鈥檚 Theatre麻豆传媒 is staging William Shakespeare鈥檚 timeless tragedy 鈥淜ing Lear.鈥� The mainstage production will be performed in the Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center Burg Theatre from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2.
鈥淜ing Lear鈥� is one of Shakespeare鈥檚 most profound and moving tragedies, exploring themes of power, betrayal and redemption. The story follows the aging King Lear as he divides his kingdom among his daughters, leading to a series of events that test the bonds of family and the limits of loyalty. Two aging fathers 鈥� one a king, the other his courtier 鈥� reject the children who truly love them, unleashing acts of pitiless ambition and treachery, as family and state are plunged into a violent power struggle.
The production is directed by 麻豆传媒 head of performance D. Lance Marsh, a classical play specialist and an artistic director for 麻豆传媒 Shakespeare in the Park.
Marsh noted the difficulty, intensity and complexity of the script, which makes it a rare challenge for college theater programs to take up.
It will feature the world premiere of a score by music composition graduate student Kiegan Ryan. The work is performed by a cello trio and vocalists.
鈥淭he music is highlighting a giant storm as it鈥檚 blowing the civilized world away,鈥� Marsh said, noting the novel use of a score in the play that usually stages without one. 鈥淲e aim to create a visceral and emotionally charged experience that resonates with modern audiences.鈥�
Ryan not only composed the work but will also perform as part of the cello trio. He gave some insight on how the score is used and described the dramatic way the musicians are revealed on the stage. Without spoiling the surprise, 鈥淚鈥檝e got to say I have a lot of faith in the design students 鈥� I鈥檓 a little terrified of heights,鈥� Ryan quipped.
When Marsh was putting the play together, he approached Music Composition Director Dr. Edward Knight with the idea of adding a musical score, preferably something for cello.
鈥淒r. Knight came to me and said this is literally right up your alley. Would you be interested in doing this?鈥� Ryan recalled, noting his particular specialty in vocal church music and arias.
Some of the work is based on music used in English coronations. He said the score shifts from noble, regal and monastic in theme to a more Avant Garde, tense, aggressive and subversive theme as the play unfolds.
The cast includes two faculty members who are members of acting unions 鈥� Bill Langon as King Lear and Hal Kohlman as Gloucester.
Kohlman, professor of acting and directing and a member of Actor鈥檚 Equity of America, stressed the value of students working with professional actors as fellow cast members.
鈥淭he student-teacher relationship is gone. When we鈥檙e working like this, we become colleagues,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is a chance for our young actors to get into a professional situation with someone more experienced than they are, so when they get out into the world they鈥檙e not surprised or off-guard to be working with professionals.鈥�
The students get to see what the pros do 鈥� from preparations and voice warm-ups to the curtain call.
鈥淚 see it as a way to model professional behavior,鈥� he added.
As part of the cast, Kohlman said he intentionally avoids putting on his teaching hat in order to uphold the working theater experience.
鈥淚n theater, an actor never gives another actor notes. All notes come through the director,鈥� he said.
Tickets are available at or by calling 405-208-5227.鈥疭howtimes are:
7:30 p.m. Jan. 30
7:30 p.m. Jan. 31
2 p.m. Feb. 1
7:30 p.m. Feb. 1
2 p.m. Feb. 2
