Shakespeare Theatre Announces 08/09 Season

Both Ion and The Dog in the Manger were originally read in the Company’s ReDiscovery Series, which explores lesser-known classics.

SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY’S 2008-2009 SEASON

Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, directed by David Muse
September 9 to October 12, 2008, at Sidney Harman Hall

The world’s greatest and most enduring love story, Romeo and Juliet follows its star-crossed lovers as they hurtle from their first shy glances to their last heartrending kiss. Caught between their feuding families, Romeo and Juliet desperately struggle to build a world insulated from the violence, but their love races toward a final confrontation with fate. Associate Artistic Director David Muse directs Shakespeare’s poetic masterwork. Muse has been praised for his “wonderfully sensitive guidance” creating productions that are “triumphant … glorious” (Washington City Paper).

The Way of the World, by William Congreve, directed by Michael Kahn
September 30 to November 16, 2008, at Lansburgh Theatre

Featuring witty repartee in the grand tradition of The Country Wife and The Beaux' Stratagem, Congreve's delicious comedy of manners sends up courtship and marriage. Amid the gossip and frivolous love affairs of fashionable London society, the clever and conniving lovers Millamant and Mirabell are determined to pursue "a marriage of true minds." But Millamant's jealous guardian stands in their way. The only way to achieve their goal is to beat the fops, the fools and the resentful rivals at their own game—through double-dealing and outrageous deception. Michael Kahn directs this great English comedy, one of the finest of the Restoration era. The cast features Veanne Cox (The Beaux’ Stratagem) and STC favorites Floyd King, Andrew Long and Nancy Robinette.

Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare, directed by Rebecca Bayla Taichman
December 2, 2008, to January 4, 2009, at Sidney Harman Hall

One of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, Twelfth Night ponders love lost and found. A shipwreck separates twins Viola and Sebastian, but tragedy quickly turns to comedy when they wash up in a land turned upside-down by love. With raucous antics, ravishing language and rich characters, Shakespeare creates a bittersweet tale of laughter and longing. Rebecca Bayla Taichman returns after her “chic, funny and marvelously acted” production of The Taming of the Shrew (The Washington Post). Veanne Cox will play Olivia, following her role in The Way of the World, and will be joined by STC favorites Floyd King and Nancy Robinette.

The Dog in the Manger, by Lope de Vega, translated and adapted by David Johnston, directed by Jonathan Munby
February 10 to March 29, 2009, at Lansburgh Theatre

A master of Spain's Golden Age, Lope de Vega explores love, fidelity and class with wry humor in The Dog in the Manger. The haughty countess Diana rejects her many aristocratic suitors only to fall in love with her handsome young secretary, Teodoro. To pursue this forbidden love, Diana must sabotage her suitors, deceive her friends and concoct ever-more elaborate schemes. De Vega balances high tragedy and low comedy, examining the savage whims of the human heart. Jonathan Munby makes his STC debut directing the East Coast premiere of David Johnston’s translation of this rarely performed classic. Munby, a frequent director with the Royal Shakespeare Company, has been praised for his “high-octane” productions (The Sunday Times).

Ion, by Euripides, translated and adapted by David Lan, directed by Ethan McSweeny
March 10 to April 12, 2009, atSidney Harman Hall

In Ion, the Greek playwright Euripides crafts a remarkable romance of loss and reconciliation.Abandoned by his parents, Ion grows up as an orphan at Apollo’s temple. But when his mother appears in search of a prophecy, Ion must confront both his painful past and his unexpected destiny. Euripides’ plot twists and turns with jealousy and revenge before culminating in a reunion scene of deep tenderness and pathos. Ethan McSweeny returns to direct his second Greek tragedy for STC, after his “stunning … acutely theatrical” production of The Persians in 2006 (The Washington Post). He will direct the American premiere of David Lan’s translation, which captures the rich beauty of this neglected masterpiece.

Design for Living, by Noel Coward, directed by Michael Kahn
May 12 to June 28, 2009, at Lansburgh Theatre

The master of 20th-century English comedy, Noel Coward continued the style of William Congreve and Oscar Wilde with this hilarious and sophisticated look at love, friendship and the joys and perils of fame. Filled with Coward’s trademark sparkling wit, Design for Living follows three glamorous Bohemians—Otto, Leo and Gilda—as they fall in and out of love with each other. Moving restlessly from Paris to London to New York, the three both pursue and repel each other in an ever-more-maddening love triangle. Michael Kahn directs this provocative modern comedy classic.

King Lear, by William Shakespeare, directed by Robert Falls
June 16 to July 19, 2009, at Sidney Harman Hall

One of the most powerful dramas in Western literature, King Lear is both an intimate family drama and an explosive political epic. Beginning with a monarch’s division of his kingdom amongst his three daughters, Lear explores the most basic questions of human existence: love and duty, power and loss, good and evil. Tony Award winner Robert Falls remounts his 2006 production, which captures both the stark violence and devastating passion of Shakespeare's masterpiece. Stacy Keach will play the title role, returning to STC for the first time since Macbeth in 1995. When the show premiered at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, The Chicago Tribune raved, “A colossal, eye-popping operatic production,” and The New York Times proclaimed it one of the best productions of 2006. -- www.shakespearetheatre.org