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THE HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY GIVES A LESSON IN SELF-DISCOVERY WITH MIDWEST PREMIERE OF TAKING SHAKESPEARE

Shakespeare’s Othello bridges the generational divide in John Murrell’s drama, April 16 – May 3, 2015 at The Loft Theatre

Jon Kovach as Murph and Johanna Leiste as Prof. Photo by Scott J. Kimmins.

(Dayton, OH) — The Human Race continues its 28th season as Dayton’s leading professional theatre with the Midwest premiere of Canadian playwright John Murrell’s lesson in self-discovery, TAKING SHAKESPEARE. When a longtime, disillusioned college professor is asked to tutor her dean’s son through his freshman Shakespeare class, she finds it to be as much a test for her as it is for him. Although they seem to have nothing in common, as they explore the Bard’s Othello together, they learn more about each other—and themselves—than either is ready to admit. While they draw strength from the play, they come to understand what it means to live up to expectations. The production runs April 16 – May 3, 2015 at The Loft Theatre. It is directed by frequent Human Race actor/director Aaron Vega, who helmed The Race’s Twelfth Night in 2011.

TAKING SHAKESPEARE’s placement on the 2015–2016 season sprang from a challenge The Race has faced for years – cast sizes. “Aaron and I  had been talking about doing another Shakespeare production, specifically a modern-day Othello. But they tend to be such large casts. The Bard never wrote a ‘two-hander,’” says Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore. Then a surprising alternative appeared. “A member of our artistic committee, local attorney and musician David Greer, saw a production of TAKING SHAKESPEARE at Canada’s Stratford Festival in 2013 and raved to me about it. I started following up right away. Since the play’s two characters use Othello as a life-learning experience, the intersection of Othello ideas—ours and the script’s—seemed to come together perfectly.”

Last fall, The Human Race commissioned Vega to develop and direct a TAKING SHAKESPEARE companion piece for its Muse Machine In-School Tour. The result was #othello, a 40-minute contemporary adaptation of  Shakespeare’s original, focusing on cyber-bullying and its negative effects, presented to student audiences in the Miami Valley area middle and high schools. “Now,” says Moore, “Aaron’s directing a piece that uses the same Shakespeare play as a platform for two solitary individuals to connect and grow. Sometimes, magic just happens!”

TAKING SHAKESPEARE features New York-based actress Johanna Leister as “Prof” and Cincinnati actor Jon Kovach as “Murph.” Leister is a long-time New York actress has appeared on Broadway in Whose Life Is It Anyway? with Mary Tyler Moore and Tartuffe, Dracula and Whodunnit, as well as at a number of regional theatres. For four years, she starred on The Edge of Night as “Phoebe Smith.” She currently serves on the faculty of the Herbert Berghof Studio in New York where she participates in readings and performances of new plays. A West Chester, Ohio, native, Kovach last appeared on The Loft Stage in The Human Race’s 2012 production of Band Geeks! Since graduating from Miami University, he founded Cincinnati’s Unity Productions, helped build Untethered Theatre Company and became an associate artist at The Know Theatre.

The Human Race Theatre Company’s production of TAKING SHAKESPEARE is sponsored by Rob and Leesa Comparin; Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.; IUE-CWA; Jack and Maryann Bernstein and Muse Machine; with additional support from Jon and Diana Sebaly and Dave and Dulie Greer.

PERFORMANCE AND SPECIAL EVENT INFORMATION
Tickets for the preview performance of TAKING SHAKESPEARE on April 16 start at $30 for adults, $27 for seniors and $15 for students. For all performances April 17  – May 3, single ticket prices start at $35 for adults, $32 for seniors and $17.50 for students. Prices vary depending on the day of the week and seating location. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. The Human Race is offering a pair of discount ticket opportunities. Side-area seats are available at all performances for $25 each, on sale two weeks prior to performance. The Sunday, April 19 7:00 p.m. performance is “Sawbuck Sunday”, when any available seat can be purchased in person for just $10 at The Loft Theatre box office two hours prior to the show. Discounts are subject to availability and some restrictions apply.

All performances are at the Metropolitan Art Center’s Loft Theatre, located at 126 North Main Street in downtown Dayton, Ohio. Show times for Taking Shakespeare are 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday evenings. Performances on Sunday and Tuesday evenings begin at 7:00 p.m. and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday matinees.

Tickets and performance information on TAKING SHAKESPEARE are available at www.humanracetheatre.org or by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630, and at the Schuster Center box office.

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The Human Race Theatre Company was founded in 1986 and moved into the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence at the 212-seat Loft Theatre. In addition to the Eichelberger Loft Season, The Human Race produces for the Victoria Theatre’s Broadway Series, the Musical Theatre Workshop series, and special event programming. The Human Race, under the direction of Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore, also maintains education and outreach programs for children, teens and adults, as well as artist residencies in area schools, The Muse Machine In-School Tour, and summer youth programs. Human Race organizational support is provided by Culture Works, the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District, the Shubert Foundation, the Erma R. Catterton Trust Fund, the Jesse & Caryl Philips Foundation Fund for the Development of New Works, the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council, which helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The 2014–2015 season sponsor is the Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation of the Dayton Foundation, with additional support from Jim and Enid Goubeaux,  the Sam Levin Foundation, Premier Health and Morris Home Furnishings.

CALENDAR EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE:

The Eichelberger Loft Season of The Human Race Theatre Company presents
TAKING SHAKESPEARE
by John Murrell
featuring Johanna Leister and Jon Kovach
directed by Aaron Vega

April 16 – May 3, 2015

Performed at The Loft Theatre
Metropolitan Arts Center
126 North Main Street (between First and Second streets)
Dayton, Ohio 45402

When a longtime, disillusioned college professor is asked to tutor her dean’s son through his freshman Shakespeare class, she finds it to be as much a test for her as it is for him. Although they seem to have nothing in common, as they explore the Bard’s Othellotogether, they learn more about each other—and themselves—than either is ready to admit. While they draw strength from the play, they come to understand what it means to live up to expectations.

For tickets:

• Ticket Center Stage box office phone: (937) 228-3630
• Box office hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; and two hours prior to each performance
• Online: www.humanracetheatre.org or www.ticketcenterstage.com
• Ticket prices start at: $45 – $30 for adults, $41 – $27 for seniors and $22.50  – $15.00 for students. Prices vary depending on performance date.
• Discounts: Select side-area seats available for $25 at all performances; “Sawbuck Sunday” April 19 at 7:00 p.m. – $10 seats available for walk up sales only
• Group sales: contact Betty Gould at (937) 461-8295 or Betty.Gould@victoriatheatre.com

TAKING SHAKESPEARE performance dates:

• Wednesday, April 15 8:00 p.m.  Pay-What-You-CAN open rehearsal
• Thursday, April 16 8:00 p.m.  “Inside Track” pre-show discussion/Preview performance
• Friday, April 17 8:00 p.m.  Opening night with post-show lobby party
• Saturday, April 18 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday, April 19 2:00 p.m.
• Sunday, April 19 7:00 p.m.  “Sawbuck Sunday” – $10 tickets at the door
• Tuesday, April 21 7:00 p.m.  Lite Fare at The Loft pre-show lobby dinning
• Wednesday, April 22 8:00 p.m.
• Thursday, April 23 8:00 p.m.
• Friday, April 24 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, April 25 8:00 p.m.  Audio Described/Sign Interpreted performance (reserve by April 10)
• Sunday, April 26 2:00 p.m.  “While We’re on the Subject” post-show talk-back
• Tuesday, April 28 7:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 29 8:00 p.m.
• Thursday, April 30 8:00 p.m.
• Friday, May 1 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, May 2 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday, May 3 2:00 p.m.  Closing performance