Directed by Tim Carroll, the productions, starring Tony Award winner Mark Rylance (Jerusalem, Boeing-Boeing) as Olivia and Richard III, will begin in repertory at the Belasco Theatre Oct. 15 prior to an official opening Nov. 10.
This will mark the Broadway debut of Shakespeare's Globe, which will perform the plays with an all-male company playing both male and female roles, as the plays were originally staged in Shakespeare’s day.
Rylance, who was called "our greatest living actor" by The Independent, served as the artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe for ten years. Some of his Shakespeare credits include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Henry V, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, Two Gentlemen of Verona and As You Like It.
As previously reported, Stephen Fry will make his Broadway acting debut as Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Samuel Barnett (The History Boys) will play Viola in Twelfth Night and Queen Elizabeth in Richard III.
Joining Rylance, Fry and Barnett will be many members of the Shakespeare’s Globe and West End casts, including Liam Brennan (Orsino in Twelfth Night and Clarence and Lord Mayor in Richard III), Paul Chahidi (a 2013 Olivier Award nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Maria in Twelfth Night and Hastings and Tyrell in Richard III), John Paul Connolly (Antonio in Twelfth Night and 1st Murderer, Cardinal, Ratcliff and Halberdier in Richard III), Peter Hamilton Dyer (Feste in Twelfth Night and Brakenbury and Catesby in Richard III), Colin Hurley (Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night and King Edward IV and Stanley in Richard III) and Jethro Skinner (Fabian in Twelfth Night and 2nd Murderer, Messenger and Halberdier in Richard III). Angus Wright will join the Broadway company, returning to the role of Sir Andrew Aguecheek, which he played in Shakespeare’s Globe’s earlier staging of Twelfth Night, and as Duke of Buckingham in Richard III. Terry McGinity, another veteran of Shakespeare’s Globe’s earlier staging of Twelfth Night, also joins the Broadway company as the Sea Captain and Priest in Twelfth Night and Scrivener, Rivers and Blunt in Richard III.
Additional casting will be announced at a later date.
The productions will be designed by Jenny Tiramani with music by Claire van Kampen.
At every performance, 250 seats will be sold for $25 and can be booked in advance.
A full performance schedule and more information can be found by visiting ShakespeareBroadway.com.
