MARQUEE REPERTORY 2019
He who has never hoped can never despair.
A wily old general mentors a fiery young queen in the finer points of state-craft.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Dr. Ralph Presents | Friday, September 20 at 5:00pm – Tickets
Discovery Space Workshop | Sunday, November 3 at 11:00am – Reserve a spot
Talkback Thursdays | Every Thursday after the performance
Constance Swain in Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
Michael Manocchio, Annabelle Rollison, Sylvie Davidson, Chris Johnston, Ronald Román-Meléndez, Zoe Speas, Leighton Brown, and Alexandra Stroud in Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
David Anthony Lewis and Constance Swain in Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
Chris Johnston, Ronald Román-Meléndez, and Annabelle Rollison in Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
Michael Manocchio and John Harrell in Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
Chris Johnston performing in Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
David Anthony Lewis and Constance Swain in Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
Constance Swain and Ronald Román-Meléndez in Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
The cast of Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
David Anthony Lewis and Brandon Carter in Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
Constance Swain and John Harrell in Caesar and Cleopatra. Photo by Lindsay Walters.
Artistic Team
Eric, named Wall Street Journal Director of the Year in 2014, makes his American Shakespeare Center debut with this production. Off Broadway, Eric worked on Uncle Romeo Vanya Juliet; Pygmalion; …
Tracie received a BFA in Technical Theater from Longwood College in 1996 with a focus in stage management. She has worked in stage management at Georgia Shakespeare, Steppenwolf Theatre, Circle …
Costume Designer
Jessica is a Chicago-based costume designer. Broadway: Marvin’s Room, The Heidi Chronicles. Recent New York productions at Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Theatre Club, Lincoln Center, Second Stage Theatre, The Public Theatre, …
THIS SEASON: Vocal Coach. Nancy is an actress, vocalist, and choreographer who appeared at ASC in last season’s world premiere musical…
THIS SEASON: Costume Designer for A Christmas Carol
Adrienne was the ASC’s Interim Production Manager.
THIS SEASON: Dramaturg for Thrive, Or What You Will
Lauren has been an actor at the American Shakespeare Center in 32 productions and is currently the Properties Master and Choreographer for the Summer/Fall Season. She has a BA from …
THIS SEASON: Antony in Julius Caesar; Antony in Antony and Cleopatra; Rufio in Caesar and Cleopatra
Cast
Constance Swain is an innovative director whose bold vision and creative energy inspire captivating storytelling at ASC and beyond.
David Anthony Lewis is an accomplished Actor with over 70 professional theatre credits A Christmas Carol 2024 is his 36th production with ASC.
THIS SEASON: Antony in Julius Caesar; Antony in Antony and Cleopatra; Rufio in Caesar and Cleopatra
THIS SEASON: Margaret, George Seacoal in Much Ado about Nothing; Mistress Quickly, Travers, Bullcalf, Davy in Henry IV, Part 2; Spaconia in A King…
THIS SEASON: Caska in Julius Caesar, Mary Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
THIS SEASON: Calphurnia, Varro in Julius Caesar; Demetrius, Dolabella, Menecrates in Antony and Cleopatra; Charmian and Bel Affris in Caesar and Cleo
Ronald Román-Meléndez is an accomplished actor with over 30 previous roles at the American Shakespeare Center.
Chris Johnston has over 20 years of theatre experience and more than 120 productions at the American Shakespeare Center.
Brandon Carter was the Artistic Director of the American Shakespeare Center from January 2022-March 2024.
THIS SEASON: Oliver, Touchstone – As You Like It; Interesting Man, Child – Eurydice
THIS SEASON:
PREVIOUSLY WITH ASC: 27 seasons and over 200 roles including Falstaff in Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2; Brutus in Julius Caesar; Iago in Othello; Guildenstern in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern …
THIS SEASON: Understudy for Macbeth, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Merry Wives of Windsor
THIS SEASON: Valentine, Officer, Swing in Twelfth Night; Swing in Othello
THIS SEASON: Lepidus, Understudy in Julius Caesar; Lepidus, Understudy in Antony and Cleopatra; Ensemble, Understudy in Caesar and Cleopatra.
THIS SEASON: Ensemble, Understudy in Julius Caesar; Diomedes, Thidius, Understudy in Antony and Cleopatra; Ensemble, Understudy in Caesar & Cleopatra
Before the Play
- Egyptian King Ptolemy XII Auletes of Egypt is exiled due to his silence over the Roman annexation of Cyprus (which had been Egyptian territory). His daughter Berenice takes the throne.
- Romans, including Mark Antony,go to Egypt to help restore Ptolemy XII Auletes to the throne. Berenice and her supporters are executed.
- Ptolemy XII Auletes dies; Cleopatra and her brother-husband Ptolemy XIII are named his co-heirs and begin to rule.
- Tensions arise between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII; Cleopatra flees to Syria to raise an army.
- Cleopatra returns to Egypt.
During the Play
- Arriving in Egypt, Julius Caesar speaks to a statue of a Sphinx in the desert. When it begins to speak back, he discovers a young woman sleeping between its paws. The girl quickly reveals herself to be Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.
- Not realizing who she is speaking to, Cleopatra confesses her fear of the Romans. Caesar tells her that she must be brave.
- Caesar escorts Cleopatra back to her palace. Despite her fear, she attempts to be regal. The arrival of the Roman troops reveal to Cleopatra whose company she has been keeping.
- In Alexandria, the young king Ptolemy Dionysus attempts to assert his right to the throne.
- Caesar arrives to collect Egypt’s tribute from Ptolemy. Caesar is inflexible in the face of negotiation, but offers to settle the succession dispute between Ptolemy and Cleopatra.
- As tensions rise, Caesar and the Roman army preemptively take over the palace. A siege is imminent.
- Cleopatra reminisces about Mark Antony, who came to Egypt to help restore her father to the throne. Caesar reveals that it was he who sent Antony to Egypt and promises to send him back.
- Battle breaks out. In its midst, the library of Alexandria is set ablaze. Cleopatra dresses Caesar for battle, and Caesar departs to seize the island of Pharos.
- A surprise visitor, a daring escape, a long siege, political machinations, and more ensue.
After the Play
- William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, part of ASC’s 2019 Summer: Festival Season.
- William Shakespeare’s Antony & Cleopatra, part of ASC’s 2019 Summer: Festival Season.