Mad Horse Theatre Company Presents TITUS ANDRONICUS, Now thru 6/23

Mad Horse closes its 27th Season on a grand scale with one of Shakespeare's most sweeping and controversial plays. In this depiction of an aging warrior's return home, TITUS ANDRONICUS is a masterful examination of power, corruption, loyalty to family and to country, and the lengths to which one man will go to right a horrifying wrong.

A legendary general, Titus Andronicus, returns in triumph to Rome. But the city is in chaos, its Emperor dead. The years of battle have taken their toll on Titus - the choices he makes from the moment he sets foot in the city lead to a spiral of betrayal, revenge and death.

Politics, passion, and the effects of war drive this tragedy, which was considered by scholars so shocking that for many years that it was suggested that Shakespeare himself could not possibly have written it. Now it resides firmly in the pantheon of the playwright's works, while finding new relevance in today's world: how do those returning from war rejoin a society that has become unfamiliar? Can honor and expedience reside together?

Guest Director Stacey Mancine Koloski (STAGES Academy) says of the play: "In today's society, we still struggle with how war and violence affect civilization. TITUS ANDRONICUS reminds us how this often begins at an individual level. The play shows us up-close how the atrocities of war can deeply and irrevocably alter one's moral compass, and how just one man's psychological trauma can bring the horrors of the battlefield back to the peace of his city, his home and his family.

Many people approach this play with the understanding that this is "the bloody play" in Shakespeare's canon, but the humanity of TITUS ANDRONICUS extends far beyond high-concept camp or horror-film gore. StagingTITUS ANDRONICUS in the intimate Mad Horse theater allows us to expose the humanity of these tragic, deeply wounded characters, and find a greater understanding of how the legacy of war and violence affects the civilized world."

The cast is a veritable who's who of local talent, including Tony Reilly in the title role. Mad Horse Company members Burke Brimmer, Nathan Speckman, and Christine Louise Marshall are joined by guest artists Jessica Fratus, Owen Freeman, JP Guimont, Jordan Handren-Seavey, Leo Hilton, Joshua Hughes, Erik Moody, Kat Moraros, Shawn Reardon, Mark Rubin, Nicholas Schroeder, and Sean Senior.

The production team includes director Stacey Mancine Koloski, Jennifer Halm-Perazone, James Herrera, Sam Rapaport, Shannon Squonk Stockwell, and Torie Van Horne.

Titus Andronicus runs tonight, June 6 through June 23, in the Mad Horse Theater at the Hutchins School, 24 Mosher Street, South Portland. Performance times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30pm, and Sunday Matinees at 2:00pm. There will be a special Talk Back with the director and the actors immediately following the matinee on Sunday, June 16. Tickets are $20 for adults; $15 for seniors/students. Reservations are recommended. Tickets can be purchased online at: www.madhorse.com/tickets. Season Subscribers can call 207-730-2389 or email the box office to reserve: madhorsetheatre@gmail.com

As always, Mad Horse offers Pay What You Can nights every Thursday during the run, and also on the June 6 and June 7 preview nights. Pay What You Can tickets are only available at the door, while seats are available.

Our annual Silent Auction to benefit Mad Horse Theatre Company will coincide with all performances. Bidding is allowed before each performance and during intermission. On Sunday, June 23, there will be a special Closing Gala beginning at 4pm. This is an opportunity for all our patrons to come back and update their bids one last time before the auction closes. This is a great opportunity to support live, local theater.