Nikki M. James Will Be Cleopatra to Plummer's Caesar in Canada; Rose Is Out

By Kenneth Jones
April 24, 2008

Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose will not be the Queen of Egypt this summer in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Caesar and Cleopatra in Canada.

Production scheduling conflicts related to the filming of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" have prevented Rose, previously announced in the role, from coming to Stratford, Ontario, for the season. Rose is currently Maggie in Broadway's limited-run production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Stratford artistic director Des McAnuff announced April 24 that Nikki M. James will play the role of Cleopatra opposite Christopher Plummer, who is playing Caesar, in the Festival's production of George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra (Aug. 7-Nov. 9), directed by McAnuff.

James is also playing Juliet in McAnuff's production of Romeo and Juliet (May 7-Nov. 8).

James recently starred as Dorothy in The Wiz at the La Jolla Playhouse, and appeared in Broadway's All Shook Up (Lorraine) and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Other theatre includes Adela in Bernarda Alba (Lincoln Center Theater), Otillie in House of Flowers (City Center Encores!) and Babes in Arms (Goodspeed).

For more information visit www.stratfordfestival.ca.