Collaborative Arts Theatre Presents Women of Will 3/16-27

Collaborative Arts Theatre is pleased to present the Southeastern regional premiere of Tina Packer's Women of Will, a funny, lively and insightful look at some of Shakespeare's female heroines. Packer is the Founding Artistic Director of Shakespeare & Company, based in Lenox, MA, and is known throughout the world as a pioneer of American Shakespeare performance and training techniques. Packer will present a special version of Women of Will in Charlotte in March in advance of a national tour in the fall. Women of Will stars Tina Packer and Nigel Gore and is directed by Eric Tucker.

Even today Shakespeare continues to be the most produced playwright of all time. Packer is intent on helping us understand why. "Drawing on her lifetime of acting in and directing Shakespeare's plays, Packer combines the performance of scenes with the discussion of themes to create a dazzling and illuminating piece of work. For anyone who cares about women, Shakespeare, or especially women in Shakespeare, Women of Will is not to be missed," says the Boston Globe's Louise Kennedy.

"We are thrilled to be able to bring a world-renowned artist to Charlotte and to present the Southeastern premiere this work," said Elise Wilkinson, Collaborative Arts Theatre's Executive and Artistic Director. "The approach we take when producing The Charlotte Shakespeare Festival is modeled after the philosophies and practices established by Tina Packer and Shakespeare & Company. I can't think of a better way to kick off our 2011 season than with the regional premiere of this exciting piece of theatre."

Performance Schedule

Performances of Women of Will take place March 16 - 27, 2011 at the Duke Energy Theatre in Spirit Square (345 N. College Street, Charlotte, NC). Shows take place Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students/seniors and are available at carolinatix.org or by calling 704-372-1000. Additional discounts will be available for Collaborative Arts' Facebook fans, Twitter followers and email newsletter subscribers. The Wednesday, March 16 performance is a special "Pay What You Can" evening (suggested minimum donation of $10 per person).

Artist Biographies

Tina Packer was born in England, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and was an associate artist with the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing in the West End and on BBC television. She is one of the country's foremost experts on Shakespeare and theatre arts and is the founder and Artistic Director of Shakespeare & Company, now one of the largest and most critically acclaimed Shakespeare festivals in North America. Packer founded Shakespeare & Company in 1978 with the goal of creating a classical American Shakespeare company of the highest standard that holds language as the center of the theatrical experience. It is rooted in the ideals of the Elizabethans: inquiry, passion, love, poetry, physical prowess, balance, and harmony. Recognized by more than 20 awards, honors and fellowships, she has twice received the Elliot Norton Award, as well as the state of Massachusetts' highest cultural honor, The Commonwealth Award, in addition to Guggenheim and Bunting Fellowships. She has directed nearly every Shakespeare play. Packer's recent onstage roles at Shakespeare & Company include Queen Gertrude in Hamlet (2006, 2008 national tour, and 2009), Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra (2007), and the title role in Shirley Valentine (2009). She played Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Boston Publick theatre in the fall of 2009.

Nigel Gore Shakespeare & Company: Claudius in Hamlet, Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Marc Antony in Antony and Cleopatra, Lavache in All's Well That Ends Well, Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. Recent work: George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? with Ms. Packer at the Boston Publick, George Pye in Humble Boy by Charlotte Jones; Henry Carr in Travesties by Tom Stoppard at the Boston Publick. Seasons 2 and 3 of Brotherhood on Showtime.
Eric Tucker (Director) Regional directing credits: Stella Adler Theatre: Hamlet (w/ William Hurt). Trinity Repertory Company: Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night. VCPA: Sanctuary (North American Premiere), Man of La Mancha. Redlands Shakespeare Festival: Measure for Measure, Antony and Cleopatra, Hamlet. SFGT: Macbeth, Closer. Burning Coal: Watership Down (World Premiere). Beowulf: Angels in America Parts I & II, Saint Joan. Shakespeare & Company: Pinter's Mirror.

About Collaborative Arts

Collaborative Arts is a non-profit, professional theatre company dedicated to producing inventive productions of classical and contemporary plays. Our goal is to offer programming not frequently available in Charlotte - in particular classical theatre, site-specific productions and professional-level training opportunities for local actors. The company produces 3 - 4 shows each season, including The Charlotte Shakespeare Festival (the region's only free Shakespeare festival). For more information, please visit www.collaborativeartstheatre.com or call 704-625-1288. Become a fan of Collaborative Arts on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.