Caption: Brutus (Jennifer Fouche) and Octavius (Jessica Geguzis) face off in one of the sword fights in Hudson Shakespeare Company's all-female version of Julius Caesar to be staged at the Stratford Library at 2p.m. Saturday Aug. 23.
All-Female Julius Caesar on Library Stage, Aug 23.
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The Hudson Shakespeare Company will finish it's summer series at the Stratford Library with an all-female version of Julius Caesar, at 2pm, Saturday August 23rd.
Set in a post modern environment that mixes modern and Romanesque costuming and weaponry, Hudson's production takes a straight-forward approach on the classic Roman story.
"We don't try to have the women imitate men or present some sort of stylized caricature or even have a lesbian bent," director Jon Ciccarelli said.
"The cast simply play it as women themselves going through these situations. I feel that gender differences are often exaggerated in pop culture and that men and women are much closer in thinking and behavior than one would gather by watching Oprah or Dr. Phil.
The abridged, two-hour performance follows the story of Gen. Caesar's (Vivienne Maya) return to Rome after defeating her opponent. The Roman citizens part to the glory of their new "General of the Week," but an undercurrent broods within Rome's elite as Brutus (Jennifer Fouche) and Cassius (Madeleine James) feat that Caesar will go further than her predecessor and become a dictator. As they take matters into their own hands, kill Caesar and assume power, the Republic descends into civil war and the less-experience Octavius (Jessica Geguzis) and the ever drunk and paryting Mark Antony (Kimberly DiPersia) take up the opposition.
The Aug 23. performance will be held in the outdoor amphitheater at the read of the library, 2203 Main Street. Patrons may sit on blankets or lawn chairs. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservations are taken.
In the event of inclement weather, the performance will be held in the library's air-conditioned Lovell Room.
Additional information is available at 385-4164 or www.stratfordlibrary.org.
