Beat the heat with a trip to Flagstaff to enjoy Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival’s summer season.
To kick off the 2019 summer season, the Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival presents the beloved classic “Much Ado About Nothing.” In the aftermath of war, returning soldiers discover that finding love and building their lives anew is a journey that can take some unexpected turns. Now bitter rivals, former lovers Benedick and Beatrice lock horns in a battle for supremacy of wit, while Beatrice’s family is ripped apart by betrayal. Add a bumbling detective, a prince in disguise, scheming villains and passionate young lovers and it is Shakespeare’s warmest, funniest comedy.
Returning fans will recognize director Jesse James Kamps’ work from last summer’s production of “The Taming of the Shrew.” Delightfully witty, Kamps’ directorial style captures all the ribaldry of the Bard himself.
Assembled from actors representing every FlagShakes company from the last five seasons, the super-group cast of “Much Ado About Nother” stars Spencer Dooley as Benedick and esteemed southwestern actress Allison Sell as Beatrice in her FlagShakes debut.
Scored by Thomas Hartwell, the play will feature original music, as well as a selection of New Orleans Jazz standards from the 1930s and 1940s. Music will be performed entirely by the acting cast — seven actors across 11 instruments.
Opening Friday, May 31, “Much Ado About Nothing” will see eight performances at the Museum of Northern Arizona through Sunday, June 16. Information is available at FlagShakes.org. Tickets are sold by searching “muchadoabout” on the Brown Paper Tickets website.
Following a successful spring repertory of “Indecent” and “God of Vengeance,” the Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival will jump into its summer season by revitalizing another underexplored production.
This June, FlagShakes presents John Webster’s heart-wrenching “Duchess of Malfi.” This is a tale of irrepressible romance and poetic tragedy. Set in 14th-century Italy, this story is a poignant retelling of an enduring parable of hypocrisy, ambition and love based on the real life of a beautiful Italian duchess, Giovanna dâ Aragona. The duchess’s love for a common man incites the fury of her ambitious and jealous brothers, leading to plots of revenge, bouts of madness and heroic deeds in the name of love.
“Duchess” premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in 1613. Four hundred years before Game of Thrones popularized medieval political drama, Webster defined the genre in this tale fraught with conflicts of class, power, sex and murder.
Directed by Dawn Tucker, FlagShakes’ production will feature a diverse cast starring Phoenix talent Keondra Gold as the Duchess and Dont Green as Antonio. With musical direction and choreography from Sean Golightly and Hannah Fontes, the score will combine the grit and grease of Weimar jazz with classic and contemporary American compositions.
Like “Indecent” and “God of Vengeance,” this production of Duchess of Malfi will represent the play’s premiere in Arizona, exemplifying FlagShakes’ dedication to emboldening theatre, empowering — and employing — artists and elevating empathy.
“Duchess” opens Thursday, June 6, for seven performances, all at the Museum of Northern Arizona. Information is available at FlagShakes.org. Tickets are sold on the Brown Paper Tickets website.
