Josh Brooks

The Rustic Mechanicals Announce Cast and Tour Locations for Hamlet

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The Rustic Mechanicals Announce Cast and Tour Locations for Hamlet

The Rustic Mechanicals, now in their fifth season, have grown from a troupe of seven actors to this year boasting a roster of nearly thirty West Virginia artists.

Daniel Crowley headlines the production in the eponymous role of Hamlet.

“This is the most challenging role I have ever tried to wrap my mind around,” said Crowley. “Every time I encounter the text I discover a new motive, tactic, double entendre, or meaning. I completely understand why it is the Holy Grail for young actors.”

Audiences will also see Sarah Smith as Ophelia, Josh Brooks as King Claudius, Cassandra Hackbart as Queen Gertrude, John O’Connor as the doting Polonius, and Sean Marko as his son Laertes. Justin Grow and Kyle Stemple will appear as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as well as Marcellus and Barnardo. James Matthews is taking on the roles of the Ghost, the Player King, and the Gravedigger while Sarah Young will appear as Horatio. Rounding out the cast is Samantha Huffman as the Player Queen and a servant.

Young directs the production with Technical Direction by David Byard, Costume Design by Jason Noland, Fight Choreography by Millie Omps, Dramaturgy by John Shirley, and with Tommy Schoffler serving as the production’s Movement Coach and Celi Oliverto serving as the troupe’s Acting Coach.

The Rustic Mechanicals Announce Cast and Tour Locations for Richard III

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Full Press Release Here

Shakespeare’s immortal tale of ambition, lust, and murderous treachery will be brilliantly updated and brought to life by The Rustic Mechanicals this spring. A savage civil war between two royal families has just concluded. But even as the newly installed King Edward takes the reins of power, his ruthless younger brother Richard sets in motion a monstrous scheme to claim the crown for himself. Enlisting the aid of equally duplicitous allies in the court, Richard embarks on a merciless, single-minded campaign of betrayal, seduction, and cold-blooded murder to achieve the goal that has obsessed him all of his tortured life.

Audiences will have their first opportunity to see the show on Thursday, April 12 at a “Pay-What-You-Will Preview.” The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with the show beginning at 7:00 p.m. There is no set ticket price for this performance. Audience members are encouraged to decide what they can give to support the troupe and this performance.

The troupe’s first ever opening night “Shakespeareance” will take place on Friday, April 13. Fifty lucky audience members will be treated to a gourmet dinner, a pre-show Q&A with members of the creative team, a live performance of Richard III, and a post-show dessert meet-and-greet reception with the audience and company.

Reservations are required for this event, and there are only 50 tickets available. The menu includes stuffed cranberry apple roasted pork loin, lemon garlic roasted chicken, roasted root veggies, golden mashed potatoes, a savory caramelized onion bread pudding, salad, homemade bread, fresh fruit, cheese, and vegetable starters.

Tickets are $75 for a couple or $40 for an individual. Dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m., with curtain at 8:00 p.m., and the reception immediately following the show.

The first weekend of the tour will conclude with performances on Saturday, April 14 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 15 at 2:00 p.m. at the Monongalia Arts Center in Morgantown, WV. Tickets for the troupe’s MAC performances are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors.

The Rustic Mechanicals, now in their fifth season, have grown from a troupe of seven actors to this year boasting a roster of nearly thirty West Virginia artists.

Joshua Brooks headlines the production in the eponymous role of Richard III.

Audiences will also see Daniel Crowley as Buckingham, Isaac Covey as Catesby, Sean Marko as Lord Hastings, Bailey Kershner as Queen Margaret, Kayla Hudimac as Queen Elizabeth, and Samantha Huffman as the Duchess of York.  James Matthews will be seen as Clarence and the Cardinal; while John O’Connor will be portraying King Edward, the Lord Mayor of London, and the Archbishop; and Travis Teffner will be playing Rivers and Richmond. Rounding out the cast is Sarah Young as Lady Anne and Tyrrel, and Kyle Stemple as Prince Edward and several other roles.

For more information about The Naked Villainy Tour of William Shakespeare’s Richard III, email VintageTheatreCo@gmail.com or call 1-855-VTC-8588.

The Rustic Mechanicals Present the Forget and Forgive Tour

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“Touring Shakespeare is a 400-year-old-tradition,” said Young. “These troupe members understand the nobility of the work and the heritage that they are a part of. I fully expect this tour to be a labor of love for us all.”

Vintage Theatre Company’s Founding Producer and Artistic Director Jason A. Young cordially invites audiences to attend a performance of The Rustic Mechanicals’ Forget & Forgive Tour of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. It starts October 12th and ends October 29th

For more information about The Forget & Forgive Tour of William Shakespeare’s King Lear, email VintageTheatreCo@gmail.com or call 1-855-VTC-8588.

The Rustic Mechanicals Present The Merry Wives of Windsor

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“Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness.”
― William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The Rustic Mechanicals Announce Cast and Tour Locations for The Merry Wives of Windsor

 

 

 

 

Gretchen Ross and Kaici Lore headline this production as Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, the merry wives, with Josh Brooks as Master Ford and Justin Grow as Master Page, their cuckolded husbands. Jason A. Young takes on the iconic role of Sir John Falstaff. Sarah Young plays Mistress Anne Page with her suitors Slender, Dr. Caius, and Master Fenton played by Isaac Covey, Steve McElroy, and Michael Vozniak. Rounding out the cast are Samantha Huffman as Mistress Quickly and Aaron Harris as Sir Hugh Evans.

 

For more information about The Dissembling Knight Tour of William Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, email VintageTheatreCo@gmail.com or call 1-855-VTC-8588 or visit The Rustic Mechanicals on Facebook and click on events.

“I encourage our community to forget what they think they know about Shakespeare,” said Oliveto. “This play is far from uptight, stuffy, or difficult to understand; rather, this play would be more at home living in the world of the Three Stooges or I Love Lucy.”