February 21, 2001

Actors From The London Stage to Perform, Hold Workshops at Whitworth

The "Actors From The London Stage" production doesn't require elaborate costumes and massive sets to wow its audiences. The touring ensemble of five professional British actors stages a theatre production as simply as possible - a few chairs, minimal lighting, and a prop or two is all it requires. The talented performers, each playing a variety of roles, rely on the inventiveness of their acting, the power of the text, and the imagination of the audience to bring Shakespeare's words to life.

Whitworth College will host Actors From The London Stage March 6-9. The ensemble will present three performances of The Winter's Tale, one of Shakespeare's most unique and subtle romantic plays. The actors will also conduct workshops for high-school students and high-school and college teachers during their visit.

Actors From The London Stage is an educational program developed by Homer Swander at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The first ensembles in the 1970s included the likes of Ian Richardson, Susan Fleetwood and Patrick Stewart. Members of the current ensemble have extensive experience in the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain, and the BBC Shakespeare Series.

Now based in London, England, and at the University of Notre Dame, in Indiana, Actors From The London Stage tours for nine weeks each semester performing full-length Shakespeare plays at colleges and universities nationwide. The artists also present lectures and conduct workshops, seminars and informal meetings with students.

Following is performance and workshop information for Actors From The London Stage's Spokane tour:

Performances of "The Winter's Tale":

Tuesday, March 6, at 7 p.m.
Russell Auditorium at Gonzaga University
$5 admission

Wednesday, March 7, at 7 p.m.
Cowles Memorial Auditorium at Whitworth College
$5 students, $8 general admission

Performance for Spokane area high-school students
Friday, March 9, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Cowles Memorial Auditorium at Whitworth College
$5 admission

Workshops:

"Performing Shakespeare" - A workshop for high-school and college teachers
Thursday, March 8, at 4 p.m. Stage II,
Cowles Memorial Auditorium at Whitworth College
$25 fee

"Meet the Actors From The London Stage" - A session for high-school students
(NOTE: This session is sold out)
Friday, March 9, 1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. Stage II,
Cowles Memorial Auditorium at Whitworth College

For more information about the performances or workshops, please call the Whitworth College English Department at (509) 777-3253.

Contacts:

Doug Sugano, professor of English, Whitworth College, (509) 777-4212 or dsugano@whitworth.edu.

Julie Riddle, public information specialist, Whitworth College, (509) 777-3729 or jriddle@whitworth.edu.