CTC to Open Final Summer Production: Shakespeare's THE WINTERS TALE 8/15-22

Chautauqua Theater Company Artistic Directors Vivienne Benesch and Ethan McSweeny are proud to announce the final production of the 2009 season: William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale.

Blinded by a jealous rage, King Leontes falsely accuses his wife of adultery, plots the murder of his best friend, and orders his newborn daughter abandoned in a foreign land. Written late in Shakespeare's career, this family saga is part fairytale, part adventure and all masterpiece. In the end, the frigid winter of jealousy gives way to the renewal of spring, and time heals old wounds when forgiveness scents the air. OBIE award-winner Anne Kauffman directs CTC's spectacular Conservatory to bring Shakespeare's most beautiful romance to life.

The Winter's Tale marks director Anne Kauffman's CTC debut. Her extensive New York credits include the recent production of Stunning at LCT3, Dan LeFranc's Sixty Miles to Silver Lake at Soho Rep, God's Ear at The Vineyard Theatre/New Georges and Have You Seen Steve Steven with 13P. She won an OBIE award for her direction of The Thugs and a Big Easy Award for The Children's Hour. She is a founding member of The Civilians, a collaborative and socially conscious theater group, and is a member of the Drama League of New York.

The remarkable talents of CTC's Conservatory make up the core of The Winter's Tale cast. Now regarded among the best and most highly respected summer theater programs in the country, CTC attracts the brightest stars of tomorrow as they bridge the gap between their training and professional careers. "From the 400+ applicants we auditioned across the country," says Benesch, "the fourteen actors who make up this year's Conservatory company represent the ‘who's who' of the future of American Theater. The Winter's Tale is an opportunity to say ‘I saw them when!'"

Playing the royals at the heart of Shakespeare's romance are Michael Schantz as jealous King Leontes, Rachel Spencer as his wrongly accused Queen Hermione and Andy Nagraj as her suspected lover King Polixenes. Mr. Schantz is entering his third year at NYU's prestigious graduate acting program where previous shows include Hamlet, The Hot L Baltimore and Lady Windermere's Fan. Ms. Spencer recently completed her second year at the Yale School of Drama, where she has played Ophelia, Electra and Juliet among others. Mr. Nagraj comes to CTC from the University of Delaware's Professional Theatre Training Program where he most recently played Jacques in As You Like It and Engstrand in Ghosts.

Completing the cast, guest artist Daniel Pearce returns for a second season as the honorable Shepherd. Pearce was on the Bratton stage in last season's Reckless and earlier this season as Ezra Chater in Arcadia. Among his numerous credits he has appeared on Broadway in the smash musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Off-Broadway in The Picture of Dorian Gray at New World Stages and in Measure for Measure and Henry V at the New York Shakespeare Festival.
A stellar new team of accomplished designers makes its CTC debut with The Winter's Tale. The team includes Kris Stone (sets) who has won an NEA/TCG award, 2007 Prague Quadrennial and was nominated for The Drama Desk Award and The Irish Theatre Award. Her national and international credits include work with the Lincoln Center Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Royal Theater-Tasmania, Dublin Theatre Festival and numerous shows at opera houses around the country. Helen Hayes award-winner Jennifer Moeller (costumes) has designed in regional theaters across the country including multiple Shakespeare productions at Shakespeare Theater Company, Milwaukee Shakespeare, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and is a proud member of Wingspace Theatrical Design. The work of Ben Stanton (lights) has graced many of New York City's most important theaters including MCC, The Public and Manhattan Theatre Club, and regional theaters such as La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, Intiman and Hartford Stage. Three-time Helen Hayes winner Martin Desjardins (sound) has designed and composed for The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Arena Stage, CenterStage, Royal Shakespeare Company and multiple productions with The Wooster Group.

CTC performs in the award-winning, historic Bratton Theater. Internationally known actors, directors, designers and writers join 18 emerging artists drawn from the nation's top training programs to form a unique company that produces a vibrant summer of work.

Patrons seeking further information about The Winter's Tale or other CTC programming are encouraged to visit our website: www.CTCompany.org. The site also provides useful links to information about other events at the Institution. Off-grounds ticket buyers may, at no additional charge, enjoy the Institution grounds from noon until 8 p.m. with a matinee ticket or from 4 p.m. to midnight with an evening ticket.