King Lear

By William Shakespeare Sponsored by The Crocker Catalyst Foundation Artistic Staff

Director Vincent J. Cardinal Scenic Designer Linda Buchanan Costume Designer Michiko Kitayama Skinner Lighting Designer Stephen C. Jones Sound Designer/Original Music Composer Joe Payne Music Director Brandon Scott Grayson Dramaturg Ashley M. Thomas Voice and Text Coach Philip Thompson Fight Director Paul Dennhardt Intimacy Director Caitlyn Herzlinger Stage Manager Sarah Goshman* Assistant Stage Manager Emily Marie Wilke*

Scene: Britain There will be one intermission.

Cast

Earl of Kent René Thornton Jr.* Earl of Gloucester Chris Mixon* Edmund, a bastard son to Gloucester Philip Orazio Lear, king of Britain Anthony Heald* Goneril, daughter to Lear Lisa Strum* Regan, daughter to Lear Stephanie Lambourn* Cordelia, daughter to Lear Kendall Cafaro Duke of Cornwall, husband to Regan Tim Fullerton Duke of Albany, husband to Goneril John Bixler* Curan, a courier Nicholas Denhalter† King of France Luke Sidney Johnson Duke of Burgundy Jeremy Thompson Edgar, son of Gloucester Freedom Martin Oswald, steward to Goneril Maurice-Aimé Green Fool, to Lear Aidan O’Reilly* Doctor Rob Tucker* Old Man, tenant to Gloucester Rob Tucker* Knight Commander Steven Jensen Knights Phillip Brown, Nicholas Denhalter†, Nathan Haltiwanger, Luke Sidney Johnson, Mark Saunders, Jeremy Thompson, Rob Tucker*, Braedon Young, Brandon Zicker† Messengers Phillip Brown, Braedon Young

Captain Luke Sidney Johnson

Herald Jeremy Thompson Beggars Phillip Brown, Braedon Young Servants Phillip Brown, Nicholas Denhalter†, Nathan Haltiwanger, Mark Saunders, Jeremy Thompson, Braedon Young, Brandon Zicker†

Understudies

Anatasha Blakely— Goneril/Regan; Phillip Brown—Doctor/Old Man/Knight Commander/Knight; Nicholas Denhalter†—Duke of Cornwall/Duke of Albany/King of France/Captain/Knight; Steven Jensen—Gloucester; Jeremy Thompson—Earl of Kent/Edmund; René Thornton Jr.*—Lear; Amara Webb—Cordelia/Fool; Braedon Young—Curan/Duke of Burgundy/Herald/Knight/Servant; Brandon Zicker†—Edgar/Oswald Understudies never substitute for listed players unless an announcement is made prior to the performance.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. †Appearing courtesy of the Southern Utah University Fellowship Program.

The director and fight director are working on contract with the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union..

The scenery, costume, sound, and lighting designers are represented by the United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 of the IATSE.

Videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

@utahshakespeare | #kinglearusf

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The Story of the Play

Lear, king of Britain, divides his kingdom among his three daughters, making his gifts dependent upon each daughter’s declaration of love for him. The two oldest, Goneril and Regan, gush sweet adjectives, but young Cordelia, in her integrity, refuses to allow so intimate a truth to be flaunted for public hearing, and says she loves him neither more nor less than the natural bond of daughter to father dictates. Furious, Lear disinherits her, gives all his lands and responsibilities to Goneril and Regan, and makes plans to live, with his one hundred knights in tow, a month at a time with the two eldest daughters. The loyal earl of Kent tries to intercede and is banished. Dowerless Cordelia marries the king of France and flees to his country. At the same time, the earl of Gloucester is deceived by the false sincerity of his illegitimate and wicked son, Edmund, who has forged a letter attempting to deprive his brother, Edgar, of his birthright by convincing their father that Edgar is going to murder him. Kent, instead of going into exile, returns in disguise to become a servant of his old master Lear and arrives at Goneril’s castle as she is beginning to shame her father. Cursing his eldest daughter, King Lear departs immediately for Regan’s, sending the disguised Kent ahead. Meanwhile, Regan and her husband, the duke of Cornwall, go to Gloucester’s castle, where for a

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minor offense and to humiliate Lear, they put the disguised Kent into the stocks. There he is found by the king, who is accompanied by his witty and wise fool. Regan refuses to take in her father until he has made apology to her sister. Goneril arrives, and Lear perceives that the daughters are in league, and he sets out into the night. On the stormy heath, Lear, with his fool, hurls defiance at the elements and, joined by Kent, who has now been released from the stocks, seeks refuge in a hovel which is already occupied by noble Edgar, disguised as mad Tom O’Bedlam. Just as Kent has calmed the king (who is showing signs of going mad), Gloucester arrives with word that the daughters are plotting against the king’s life, and that he must be taken to friends at Dover. Meanwhile, the duplicitous Edmund has furnished evidence that Gloucester has been assisting Cordelia’s invasion from France. As a result, Cornwall captures Gloucester and tortures him by plucking out his eyes. In the process Cornwall is mortally wounded by Gloucester’s faithful servant. In the open country Edgar finds his blind father and, without revealing himself, becomes his guide. Cordelia, who has returned with the armies of France to fight her sisters, finds her mad father and cares for him. Meanwhile, the duke of Albany denounces his wife, Goneril, for her cruelty; the two older sisters fall prey to Edmund’s seduction; and Edmund becomes commander-in-chief of the English forces. Albany joins armies with Edmund only to protect Britain, and in battle the French are defeated. Lear and Cordelia become Edmund’s prisoners, and he sends them to prison to be executed. Jealous of her love for Edmund, Goneril poisons Regan and then stabs herself when her own crimes are found out. Albany arrests Edmund for treason, and in formal combat Edgar mortally wounds his brother Edmund. Before he dies, he tries to do good, “despite his nature,” by countermanding his order to hang Cordelia and Lear, but it is too late. Lear enters with her body and dies himself. Gloucester, recognizing the virtuous Edgar, dies of joy and grief. Edgar and Albany are left to restore the kingdom.

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