Queen Undaunted: Margaret of Anjou
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LISTING: STAGE
ONE OF SHAKESPEARE’S STRONGEST WOMEN – MARGARET OF ANJOU - COMES INTO HER OWN
IN ORIGINAL WORK “QUEEN UNDAUNTED”
Produced by DramaDogs, a Theater Company
(Santa Barbara/8.23.12) Queen Undaunted: Margaret of Anjou stars E. Bonnie Lewis in this critically acclaimed one-woman show told in private reflection and memory. Margaret is the only female character to appear in four of Shakespeare's plays. From her first appearance as a young French princess engaged to Henry VI of England to her defeated but unvanquished old self, we follow her through Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3 and Richard III . Some historians would say she was responsible for England’s 15th Century civil war – known as the War of the Roses. Pitting the white rose York’s to rebel against the red-rose Lancaster’s; with Margaret more powerful than King Henry on the Lancaster side, this Queen occupied her throne from the beginning of that War to the final defeat of Richard III, the last York king. This play depicts how a woman of the fifteenth century could defy the norms of her time to direct the course ofEngland.
In the course of this tightly packed one-act, Lewis bestows qualities of humanity and depth while peeling away the layers of this diverse woman and inviting audiences to discover the arc of this arguably great woman’s life. Many of the gender issues of her story still relate to today. Lewis was recently reviewed in another production and hailed as “bright, intelligent and passionate... outstanding… always commanding, our own, younger Judy Dench,” by Alex Henteloff of Casa Magazine.
Queen Margaret loves, hates, acts with intensity in a world where women were meant to be compliant, submissive — and quiet. Complex and ambiguous, her voice resonates through the ages. Much of the script is in Shakespeare's words, with transitions and explanations as well as the overall structure created by the playwright Jinny Webber. No background in Shakespeare or medieval English history is needed to enjoy this play, which conveys Margaret's story through words and inventive staging.
Director Ken Gilbert and co-director Michelle A. Osborne designed the innovative staging, sound and costumes, for which their DramaDogs, a Theater Company, is known. Award-winning designer, Theodore Michael Dolas handled the set & lighting duties for this production. Stage Manager is Erica S. Connell, co-founder of DramaDogs.
Critics are united in recommending the performance and play. Justine Sutton, in her Noozhawk review last year exclaimed that, “E. Bonnie Lewis shone in speaking the words as Queen Margaret in all the facets of her complex character. The elegant language, often imbued with her slightly more modern tone and expression, felt accessible and yet still authentic. More than the words, what brought Margaret to life was Lewis’ movement. A dancer as well as actor, she is able to portray raw emotion, as well as depicting the mundane moments in life that not even a queen is immune to, with her physicality. A small gesture of her hand or turn of her mouth could bring deep humanity and vulnerability to this ambitious and volatile character.”
The Santa Barbara Independent’s Arts Editor and reviewer, Charles Donelan noted the one-woman show as “scintillating… deftly acted by the talented E. Bonnie Lewis.” Donelan also praised the script, “(Jinny) Webber succeeds admirably in condensing and organizing the challenging early works of Shakespeare … to give a well-rounded account of an alternately monstrous and majestic woman.”
Queen Undaunted: Margaret of Anjou plays at Center Stage Theater, 751 Paseo Nuevo for one weekend only – Thursday, September 6 though Sunday, September 9. Tickets are available online http://centerstagetheater.org or at the Center Stage Box Office at 751 Paseo Nuevo/Hours: Wednesday – Friday fromnoon to 5:00 P.M., and one hour before performances. Phone: (805)963-0408. (V/TDD)
E. Bonnie Lewis and Ken Gilbert, the Co-Artistic directors of DramaDogs, have been active in the local arts community for the past 18 years. DramaDogs mission continues to bring diverse material and provide cutting edge theatrical experiences to our community.
www.dramadogs.org www.centerstagetheater.org
FACT SHEET & SCHEDULE
Who: DramaDogs, a Theater Company
What: Queen Undaunted: Margaret of Anjou
Starring: E. Bonnie Lewis; Directed by Ken Gilbert & Michelle Osborne; Written by: Jinny Webber and Wm. Shakespeare
When: September 6 – 9, 2012; Thursday – Saturday @ 8 pm; Saturday & Sunday 2 p.m.
Where: Center Stage Theater, 751 Paseo Nuevo Mall, Santa Barbara, 93101
Box Office: (805) 963-0408 www.centerstagetheater.org
Tickets: $15 students/seniors; $20 general *Preview only: $10
About: A critically acclaimed one woman show which comes to life in words and movement. French born Margaret is the only person to appear in four of Shakespeare’s plays. From being married off to Henry VI in her teens to becoming the Queen of England, to the tragedy of losing a child andher exile and finally, the last vestiges of a most extraordinary life. Margaret acts with intensity in a world where women were meant to be compliant, submissive and quiet. Complex and ambiguous, her voice still resonates.
www.dramadogs.org www.centerstagetheater.org
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