“Sometimes women make decisions that hurt other women, hurt themselves and are ultimately against their own interests,” said director/adapter Caitlin McWethy. “But we can choose an alternative path. In our version, and in the original, Brutus and the conspirators end up talking themselves into a horrible act of violence but in our version, it is perhaps slightly less about fear of a dictatorship and more perhaps about our distrust of having a woman in a position of power and other women distrusting a woman in a position of power.
“And in the end, Brutus and several other conspirators realize they have made a decision perhaps based on their own internalized prejudice and the act they committed was not the right choice.”
“Julius Caesar” will be performed in a condensed 90 minutes without intermission. McWethy has restructured the order of certain scenes and has added text from other Shakespeare plays as well.
“This play was not designed for women but we’re treating this script as clay and we can craft it into what works best for us,” she said.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
McWethy is also credited as media designer. She is excited to feature cameras and video in the production to heighten the action and reflect today’s viral tendencies.
“Things go viral, things are spread in a moment,” McWethy said. “And when it’s women in positions of power that viral-ness of moments of weakness or when something goes wrong or when something is shocking or makes you sound stupid, all of that is doubled. So, we want to create the news of the world that surrounds these women. The Soothsayer becomes kind of a representation of the media.”
The cast consists of Stephanie Bignault as Metellus Cimber/Soothsayer, Sha-Lemar Davis as Antony, Skye Hodgkin as Cinna, Becca Howell as Caesar/Octavius, Emma Massey as Cassius, Rachel Mock as Casca, Stephanie Radford-Harcrow as Portia/Trebonius, and Darlene Spencer as Brutus.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Magnolia Founding Artistic Director Gina Handy Minyard hopes audiences are receptive to seeing Shakespeare refreshened while also recognizing the company’s evolution.
“This has been a big leap of faith for us,” Minyard said. “We’ve never had a cast this big and we also have two Equity performers. This show represents growth and it’s very exciting. I hope people are intrigued by the idea of a new way into the play. And I also hope people will still feel encouraged to stay active in the political process and know how important women’s voices are in our democracy.”
HOW TO GO
What: “Julius Caesar”
Where: PNC Arts Annex, 46 W. Second St., Dayton
When: April 10-13; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $14-$30
More info: 937-228-3630 or daytonlive.org. There will also be a post-show talkback following the Saturday and Sunday matinee performances.
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