STAGES REPERTORY THEATRE

www.stagestheatre.com

Presents

ELIZABETH REX

 STAGES BEATS BROADWAY TO U.S. PREMIERE OF ELIZABETH REX


Sally Edmundson as Elizabeth I. The U. S. Premiere of ELIZABETH REX by Timothy Findley is presented by Stages Repertory Theatre from September 5 - September 30, 2001. Photo by George Craig.

MAINSTAGE: ELIZABETH REX

DIRECTOR: ROB BUNDY

THE CAST:

THE LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S MEN

William Shakespeare.........................Tom Prior

Edward Lowenscroft.........................Joel Sandel

Jonathan Edmund................Daniel Magill

Matthew Welles....................Dwight Clark

Percy Gower........................Charles Bailey

Henry Pearle........................Erich Lane

Benjamin Herlie.................Todd Molesky

Kate Tardwell....................Carolyn Houston Boone

Luddy Beddoes.....................Rutherford Cravens

Ned Lowenscroft's tame bear............Todd Molesky

 

THE COURT

Lady Mary Stanley...................Kelli Cousins

Queen Elizabeth I....................Sally Edmundson

Anne, Countess Henslowe..................Sylvia Froman

Lord Robert Cecil........................Jef Johnson

Attendantsm Watch...............Philip Guffy, Jacob Reiner

 

 



"If only I had your capacity for womanhood!" Queen Elizabeth I (L-Sally Edmundson) is frustrated as she pleads with Edward Lowenscroft (R - Joel Sandel) to help her get in touch with her feminine side, as William Shakespeare (Center - Tom Prior) looks on. ELIZABETH REX is presented through September 30, 2001 at Stages Repertory Theatre (3201 Allen Parkway). Please call 713-527-0123 for reservations and information.

SETTING: The play takes place within a barn, over the nights of April 22, 1616 and Shrove Tuesday, 1601 and into the next mornings.

History gave us the Queen...now Findley gives us the woman

HOUSTON, TX - Called "breathtaking" by Time Magazine and "lush and complex" by the Globe and Mail, Elizabeth Rex by Timothy Findley premieres in the U.S. at Stages Repertory Theatre. Starring Sally Edmundson and directed by Rob Bundy, Elizabeth Rex opens September 5th, 2001 and runs through September 30th, 2001 on the Arena Stage.

"I fell in love with this astonishing drama as soon as I read it," said Stages' Artistic Director Rob Bundy. "Frankly, I can't believe our good fortune in getting the rights to this play before the West End production --- and the anticipated Broadway production. That Stages is hosting the U.S. premiere is a wonderful coup." Elizabeth Rex examines questions of history, gender, art and identity with a wry humor and keen understanding that lend this remarkable tale of Renaissance England an undeniable relevance in the 21st century.

"What I find enthralling is the humanity with which this play renders one of history's greatest and most powerful monarchs," said Bundy. Elizabeth I has sentenced her lover, the Earl of Essex, to death for treason, and she alone can pardon him. In the dark hours before the headsman's axe falls, she struggles with her obligations as a ruler and her passions as a woman. Seeking distraction in the company of William Shakespeare and his troupe of players, the Virgin Queen explores the dilemma between the heart and mind - and finds unexpected insight into her struggle.

Findley, a native of Toronto, is known for his play The Trials of Ezra Pound and for numerous works of fiction. Elizabeth Rex premiered at Ontario's Stratford Festival of Canada in July 2000. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Tickets for preview performances are $19 - $23; tickets for regular performances are $32 - $42, with group rates and senior/student discounts available. For more information or to make a reservation, please call the Box Office at 713-527-0123. Window Hours are 11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday, and 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday. On performance days, the Box Office remains open through curtain.