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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!

 

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