Two River Theater continues its season with Shakespeare’s Pericles

Two River Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, announces the full cast and creative team for its production of Shakespeare’s Pericles, featuring original music and lyrics by multidisciplinary artist Rinde Eckert, who also plays Gower/Old Pericles.

About Pericles

Pericles is choreographed by Tony nominee Dan Knechtges (Lysistrata Jones, Xanadu) and directed by acclaimed theater and opera director David Schweizer, whose past collaborations with Eckert include the Obie Award-winning And God Created Great Whales and Horizon, winner of the Lucille Lortel Award.

The first of the Late Romances, this version of Pericles is set in a dive bar at the end of the world, where a group of barflies and musicians gather to tell Shakespeare’s epic story of adventure, loss, redemption, and miraculous resurrections. With more than 40 songs and continuous underscoring, Eckert and the on-stage band will play an eclectic assortment of instruments including hammered dulcimer, toy piano, and steel drum.

Ensemble

The ensemble, all of whom will play multiple roles, includes J. Clint Allen (The Comedy of Errors), Philippe Bowgen (The Changeling), Pulitzer Prize nominee and Grammy Award winner Rinde Eckert (And God Created Great Whales), Ellen Harvey (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying), Kevin Mambo (Two River’s Seven Guitars, Fela!), Nikki Massoud (Zealot), and two-time Tony Award nominee and Obie
winner Mary Testa (First Daughter Suite, Xanadu). The Music Director is Ian Axness and the guitarist is Will Bernard.

“I’ve always really loved Pericles. But it’s one of Shakespeare’s plays that has frustrated his fans,” says Artistic Director John Dias. “It’s glorious and there are moments in it that are hilarious and others exquisite and heartbreaking. But it’s also the play that is most obviously the result of a quirky collaboration with another playwright (or two). It begs for the strong hand of an interpretive team of theater artists who love it for the splendor of its quirks while working to bring its disparate selves together. I’d argue that Rinde Eckert and David Schweizer are the collaborators with whom Shakespeare wishes he’d written Pericles!” Rinde Eckert (Gower/Old Pericles, Composer, Lyricist, Orchestrations) is an acclaimed writer, composer, librettist, musician, performer, and director. His virtuosic command of gesture, language and song takes the total theater artist moves beyond the boundaries of what a ‘play,’ a ‘dance piece,’ an ‘opera’ or ‘musical’ might be, in the service of grappling with complex issues. His theater writing/performing credits include the Obie Award-winning And God Created Great Whales, a collaboration with David Schweizer that had three Off-Broadway runs.

Pericles director

David Schweizer (Director) made his New York debut at the age of 24 at Lincoln Center opening the brand-new Mitzi Newhouse Theater with his radical version of Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida for producer Joseph Papp. He has been directing innovative new theater, performance, and opera works for more than 30 years both nationally and internationally. His recent projects include A Streetcar Named Desire for Tulsa Opera, Candide for Long Beach Opera, and Next to Normal for Center Stage.

Dan Knechtges (Choreographer) is a Tony-nominated director and choreographer working in theater, opera, concert dance, television, film, and music videos. His Broadway credits include Lysistrata Jones (direction and choreography), Xanadu (directed by Chris Ashley, Tony nomination, Drama Desk nomination), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (directed by James Lapine).

The creative team includes scenic designer Caleb Wertenbaker, costume designer Gabriel Berry, lighting designer Christopher Akerlind, and sound designer Ryan Rumery. The wig designer is Cookie Jordan and the casting is by Jack Doulin + Sharky.

Performances will begin in Two River’s Rechnitz Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue, on Saturday, April 16 and continue through Sunday, May 8. The opening night performance is Friday, April 22 at 8pm. Tickets are available from 732.345.1400 or tworivertheater.org. The lead production sponsor is Investors Bank.