A Noise Within (ANW), presents a towering production of Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra directed by ANW Producing Artistic Directors Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott, with original music by composer Laura Karpman, opening Saturday, March 3 and closing Sunday, May 13, 2012 (previews begin Saturday, February 25). This seminal tragedy is based on larger-than-life figures caught up in an empire-shattering dance of lust, love, politics and war.
The cast includes Geoff Elliott (Mark Anthony), Susan Angelo (Cleopatra), Max Rosnak (Octavius Caesar), Bill Hunt (Lepidus/Rustic), Christian Rummel (Pompey/Scarus), Ken Merckx (Demetrius/Dercetus), Greg North (Agrippa), Robertson Dean (Enobarbus), Raphael Goldstein (Eros), Nick Crandall (Soothsayer/Thidius), Nathan Turner (Philo/Schoolmaster), Angela Gulnar (Octavia), Steve Weingartner (Menas/Dolabella), Thad Shafer (Proculeius), Jill Hill (Charmian), Diana Gonzalez-Morett (Iras), Amin El Gamal (Mardian), Chris Karbo (Diomedes), Dane Biren (Abused Mess/Seleucus) and Philip Rodriguez (Varrius). Tom Buderwitz is the set designer, and Angela Calin is the costume designer.
Long on the ANW wish list, Antony and Cleopatra was an early choice for A Noise Within's inaugural Pasadena season in the company’s permanent new home, according to Elliott and Rodriguez-Elliott. Both history play and sweeping love story, the it is undeniably one of the most challenging works in the Shakespeare canon to bring to the stage.
“Until now, we just didn’t have the physical capability to give this play, with its many battle scenes and great surround, the grandness it deserves,” they note. “The depth of our new theatre has opened up tremendous artistic possibilities.”
About the play itself, Rodriguez-Elliott says, “Its appeal is the fascinating relationship between Antony and Cleopatra, who love each other deeply but in a way that is not sustainable. They have a larger than life love affair, which is destructive, exhilarating and, at times, widely satisfying, while they are running countries in turmoil. Because of their flaws, we can identify with the lovers and see a part of ourselves in them.”
Anthony and Cleopatra previews 8 p.m. Wednesday, February 29, Thursday, March 1 and Friday, March 2, opens 8 p.m. Saturday, March 3, and performs in repertoire through Sunday, May 13.
Single tickets are $46 (Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees); $42 (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings and Saturday matinees); and $34 (previews). Groups (10 or more) are $27 (weekdays and Saturday matinees), and $32 (Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees); School Groups (10 or more) are $16 (weekdays and matinees), or $20 (Saturday evenings). "Pay What You Can" tickets for the Thursday, March 1 performance are sold at the box office the day of the performance for cash only on a first-come, first-served basis based on availability, with a limit of two per person. Call 626-356-3100 ext. 1or visit www.anoisewithin.org.
A Noise Within is located on the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Sierra Madre Villa Avenue at 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107. Free self-parking is located in the Sierra Madre Villa Metro parking structure, with entrances on northbound Sierra Madre Villa Avenue or North Halstead Street.
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