Chapman faculty, alumni in Shakespeare Orange County's 'King Lear'

Shakespeare Orange County will close its 18^th season with the Bard’s heart breaking tale, The Tragedy of King Lear, beginning Sept. 2 under the direction of Chapman University’s Thomas Bradac, associate professor, Department of Theatre.  Professor Bradac, founding artistic director of SOC, has assembled a cast that includes Chapman faculty, students and alumni. Cast in the title role is Dennis Krausnick, a distinguished actor, director, and co-founder of the legendary Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Mass. Krausnick has also conducted master classes at Chapman. Playing Gloucester is Michael Nehring, professor, Department of Theatre. Chapman alumna Kim Shively is cast as Regan.  Students in the cast include Andre Stojka, Paige Fodor, and Colin Sprague.

For this production, Bradac places “King Lear” in pre-Christian Britain. This production uses the First Folio Lear script. The First Folio has long been regarded by theatre scholars as the closest and most accurate versions of Shakespeare’s plays. Curtain is at 8 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays, through Sept. 18. A special pre-show discussion will be featured Sept. 4 and Sept. 11 at 6:45 p.m., led by Kent Lehnhof, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of English at Chapman. Picnicking is available each evening beginning at 7:15 p.m. in Village Green Park, immediately adjacent to The Festival Amphitheater, 12740 Main St., Garden Grove.   

Tickets are $30-$32, with the exception of Thursdays which are “Pay-What-You-Will nights. For more information, visit the Shakespeare Orange County website or call (714) 590-1575.