I am delighted to welcome you to Rogue Theater Company’s fourth season. The 2023 season marks another year of outstanding theater, featuring the finest artists bringing to the stage meaningful, thought-provoking plays. We are so glad to see you again and to greet you if you are new to the RTC community.
In An Iliad, actor John Tufts, accompanied by musician Michal Palzewicz, weaves an age-old tale that continues to be relevant today. This adaptation, by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare and directed by Christine Albright-Tufts, is a bit of a departure from what we’re used to presenting at RTC. Yet when John approached me with this project, I knew it would be a superb addition. I hope you agree!
What would a season at RTC be without a Shakespeare presentation by scholar and actor Barry Kraft? For Bard enthusiasts, Barry fills a need to seriously delve into diverse facets of Shakespeare’s work. And this is a special year — the 400th anniversary of the First Folio’s publication. For a peek at what Barry’s offering, go to our website and hear his explanation of the First Folio. You can attend live or by Zoom on May 20 and 21, or receive a video of the series.
From July 12–30, two-time Tony Award-nominated actor Anthony Heald and Amy Lizardo explore a surprising and uncommon relationship in Heisenberg. Written by Tony Award-winner Simon Stephens and directed by Michael J. Hume, this play brings to vibrant theatrical life the uncertain and often comical sparring match that is human connection.
A delightful show to wrap up the season is Annie Baker’s Circle Mirror Transformation, playing September 13–October 1. The cast and director are reasons enough to see this play: Vilma Silva, Jeffrey King, Gregory Linington, and Kjerstine Anderson, directed by Robynn Rodriguez. The setting is an amateur acting class, and the play unfolds as we watch the students discover intimate truths about themselves and others.
Please enjoy our promising line up in our improved performance space, now enhanced with new stage lighting, a more powerful sound system, and varied levels of seats for better viewing.
Lights up!
Jessica Sage, Artistic Director, Rogue Theater Company
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“Every time I sing this song, I hope it’s the last time.”
Our Poet has been telling this story for a long time. Maybe you’ve heard it, and the names of Achilles and Hector will be familiar to you. Perhaps you read about Helen, that “face that launched a thousand ships” and Paris who abducted her, starting the ten-year conflict that was the Trojan War. Or maybe you don’t know this tale or these characters at all.
No matter.
This play isn’t really about that war. I mean, it is, but not really. This play is about every war and mankind’s seemingly unending addiction to violence and destruction. This play begs us to ask, “Why?” When the ending is always the same—loss, death, pain, grief—why does it keep happening? Do we learn nothing?
Linked to man’s desire to create conflict is also our drive to create story. Maybe by gathering in a theater and telling this story again and again, our Poet will spark change, maybe we will learn, and our cycles of violence will finally end. I believe in the power of theater, its power to transform and heal. I have hope for the Poet.
John and I are so excited to be back in Ashland, our artistic home, the place where we met and began our lives together. And we are thrilled to share with you this beautiful play. We hope you enjoy!
Christine Albright-Tufts, Director, An Iliad
