We continue our annual Shakespeare tradition with
our first of his history plays. HENRY
V! England’s in tumult and who ascends the throne
but everyman playboy prince Hal — an untested royal who spent
his youth slumming around London. Now crowned King Henry V,
he must win the respect of a nation and lead his country to
greatness in an epic battle with archnemesis France. Henry gathers
his troops and marches abroad only to find himself outgunned
and outmanned. In the face of death, Henry must also face himself
and what it means to lead. Can he become the king his country
needs?
We're once again rebooting Shakespeare for modern audiences,
setting this timeless tale to an original, blistering industrial
score by award-winning resident composer Jeremy Douglass
(A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Meteor Shower, Othello,
Hedda). Those who've enjoyed Douglass’ music in the past
are in for another treat as we take advantage of the Jaeb’s
superior technical capabilities where all actors will be amplified
with microphones, allowing for a fuller score. High-def video
also helps transform Shakespeare’s work into a modern, mesmerizing
spectacle of tension, nationalism and excitement in a production
inspired as much by Brecht’s epic theater as it is the Bard.
The 8-person ensemble features Adam Workman
(Midsummer, 1984), Kara Sotakoun (Midsummer,
Hand to God), Ned Averill-Snell (Twelfth Night,
Gloucester Blue), Lizzie Kehoe (in her Jobsite
debut), Cornelio Aguilera (Midsummer, Othello),
Roxanne Fay (The Tempest, DOUBT), Brian
Matthew Shea (The Tempest, Hand to God), and
Katrina Stevenson (Midsummer, Hand to God).
I (David Jenkins) direct and serve as video designer
supported by regional favorite Giles Davies as a text coach
and associate director. The creative team is rounded out by
Brian Smallheer (scenic), Jo Averill-Snell (lights),
and Katrina Stevenson (costumes).
The text, which would run over 3 hours intact, has been cut
nearly in half by myself, Giles, and the ensemble while
retaining both the epic’s high energy and heart. The entire
show is expected to be just over 2 hours with the intermission.
The actors, apart from Adam who plays King Henry, divide up
the remaining two dozen or so characters and offer the play’s
narration as Chorus — moving from one character to the next
in front of the audience’s eyes.
Shakespeare speaks directly to the audience in the prologue
of the play to apologize that his “wooden O,” or I guess in
the case of the Jaeb our “metal O,” couldn’t possible “bring
forth so great an object” in showing the battlefields of France
and asks viewers to allow the actors to work on their imaginations.
This was a starting point for me tto craft a tight, taut, and
tidy re-imagining of this show, especially considering our current
conditions.
If the title sound familiar, Henry V has appeared
in popular culture most recently as the plot of the film THE
KING and as part of the television series THE
HOLLOW CROWN.
Show Runs: Apr. 9 – 25, 2021
Preview Performances: Apr. 7 – 8
Jaeb Theater, Straz Center for the Performing Arts
TICKETS ON SALE NOW: https://www.jobsitetheater.org/shop/mainstage2103/
#KeepJobsiteRocking is Mon., Apr. 26
We've lost almost a quarter of a million dollars in revenue
since last March. On top of that, since we began offering both
digital and live programming options last fall we have not yet
been able to recover our investments with any of them, compounding
box office losses from cancelled shows and effectively burning
through our reserves.
On April 26, from midnight to midnight, we hold our spring online
fundraiser, this year using #KeepJobsiteRocking. We're asking
our fans and supporters to donate what they can that day and
also help by spreading the word through personal stories about
what the company means to you. We're setting an ambitious $50,000
goal and currently have $10,000 in matching funds available
to help us get there. Can we count on you?
Every $1 counts on a day like this. Please save the date for
us, and if you are interested in helping with the day please
let me know so that I can steer you toward our development committee!