Redfeather Theatre Again Brings Summer Shakespeare Festival to Worcester

WORCESTER, Mass. – The College of the Holy Cross and Redfeather Theatre will again partner to present Shakespeare’s Richard III from Aug. 1 to 19, Wednesdays through Sundays, at 7 p.m., at the Memorial Grove Amphitheatre in Green Hill Park. General seating is $20; $15 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the event or online. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets at special group rates by e-mailing a request to redfeather@holycross.edu. The production is directed by Edward Isser, associate professor and chair of the theatre department at Holy Cross. Timothy John Smith, artistic director of Redfeather Theatre, will play Richard.

Shakespeare’s Richard III is one of the most compelling characters in Western drama. Richard is astonishingly bloody minded — he kills anyone who gets in his way as he pursues the crown. But he displays such unmitigated audacity (and pleasure) dashing about the stage as he dispatches his enemies, winking at the audience as he lies to the fools around him, that he becomes larger than life. He switches personae in an instant to play upon his enemies’ weaknesses (and everyone is a potential enemy), becoming in turn the loyal brother, the ardent lover, the peacemaker, the faithful subject, the kindly uncle, the religious acolyte and the sensible ruler. Yet at the core he remains a killer who believes in nothing and is loyal only to his own quest for power. Strangely, we may find ourselves rooting for Richard as he struggles to achieve the throne, and as the true horror of Richard’s character shines forth, we watch in disbelief, unable to look away. Richard III is a theatrical thrill-ride — a thoroughly satisfying morality tale literally meant to scare us. Long before there were the movie-screen slashers of today, there was Richard III.

Joining Smith in the cast are actress Robin Lee as Anne; Lauren Doucette (last year’s Rosalind in Redfeather’s As You Like It) as Buckingham; famed Worcester actor Bill Taylor as the Bishop of Ely; Ann Marie Shea, professor emerita of Worcester State College's theatre department, as Queen Margaret; Emily Strong (Phoebe in last year’s As You Like It) as Queen Elizabeth; and Patrick Gavin (last summer’s Orlando) as the rebel leader Henry, Earl of Richmond.

Professor Isser has been directing Shakespeare regularly at Holy Cross since he joined the faculty more than a decade ago. His first Shakespeare production at the College, Measure for Measure, won an award in directing from the American College Theatre Festival. Since then he has directed Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet at Foothills Theatre and four other Shakespeare productions on campus. He directed last year’s critically-acclaimed Redfeather production of As You Like It.

Timothy John Smith founded Redfeather Theatre five years ago and serves as an adjunct professor at Holy Cross, where he teaches acting. He is the recipient of an IRNE award for best supporting actor for his performance in the Lyric Stage Company’s production of 1776, and has appeared in numerous Massachusetts stage productions.

For pictures or other information, go to the Redfeather Theatre Web site or contact Redfeather managing director Joe Mader at 508-793-3490 or redfeather@holycross.edu.