U of L theater arts and the African-American Theatre Program will present The African Company Presents Richard III beginning tonight.
The African Company Presents Richard III is based on a true story set in pre-Civil War New York City. A group of black actors known as The African Company has performed satires and taken on English classics that, at the time, politically or racially motivated critics believed were out of the group's league.
The group face constant racial strife. When The African Company decides to put on Shakespeare's Richard III, a white producer, wanting to put on the same show with an English theater star, tries to shut them down.
The African Company Presents Richard III will take place March 4-8 at 8 p.m. each night. An additional show will happen on March 8 at 3 p.m. All performances are to go on in the Thrust Theatre on the U of L campus, located at 2314 S. Floyd Street.
Tickets for each show are $15 for the public and $12 for students. All tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling the box office at 502-852-6814.
Baron Kelly directed the production, which features Tyler Madden as William Henry Brown and James Stringer Jr. as James Hewlett, the actor that portrayed Richard III for The African Company.
More information on the show can be found at the U of L theater arts website.
Photo from U of L theater arts