Photo Flash: Cast of First Folio Theatre's CYMBELINE Celebrates Opening Night!

First Folio Theatre (Mayslake Peabody Estate, 31st St. & Rt. 83), presents the rollicking World Premiere of SHAKESPEARE'S CYMBELINE: A FOLK TALE WITH MUSIC, opening Saturday, June 22 at 8:15 p.m. and running through July 21, 2013. Check out a look back at opening night below!

This wondrous new version of the timeless Shakespearean folk tale has been moved to Civil War Appalachia and includes 10 original songs featuring beautiful bluegrass melodies. SHAKESPEARE'S CYMBELINE: A FOLK TALE WITH MUSIC is adapted by First Folio Theatre's Executive Director and Jeff Award-nominee, David Rice, with Music and Lyrics by Rice and Michael Keefe (First Folio's Resident Composer). Michael Goldberg (The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night's Dream at First Folio Theatre) directs the "Shakespeare Under the Stars" production, which concludes First Folio Theatre's smash hit 2013 season. It will appear on the outdoor main stage situated on the scenic slopes of the historic Mayslake Peabody Estate.

SHAKESPEARE'S CYMBELINE: A FOLK TALE WITH MUSIC is a powerful story of love, romance, and adventure. Falsely accused of betraying her lover, Imogen must flee to the hills to escape her death. Imogen disguises herself as a man and with the help of the shepherd Belarius and his two sons, she must prove her honesty and chastity, restore her good name, and defeat her evil stepmother.

SHAKESPEARE'S CYMBELINE: A FOLK TALE WITH MUSIC stars Kate McDermott as "Imogen" ("Bianca" in Othello and "Luciana" in Comedy of Errors at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival). The production also stars Andrew Behling as "Cloten" (The Classical Theatre Project's U.S. Tour of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn); Victoria Blade as "Cornelia" (Theatre Seven's Chicago Landmark Project); Ryan Czerwonko as "Cadmus" (Hamlet and The Merry Wives of Windsor at Shakespeare's Associates); Jeff Award-nominee James Earl Jones II as "Iachimo" (Sweet Charity at Writers' Theatre, Dreamgirls at Marriott Theatre, and Ragtime at Marriott Theatre); Jeff Award-nominee Ron Keaton as "Morgan" (The Christmas Schooner at Mercury Theater Chicago); Matthew Keffer as "Posthumus" (Aspects of Love at Theo Ubique); John Milewski as "Cymbeline" (Romeo and Juliet at First Folio Theatre); Lia Mortensen as "Queen" (Rabbit Hole at Goodman Theatre); Tyler Rich as "Polydore" (Spring Awakening at The Artistic Home); Skyler Schrempp as "Pisania" (Love's Labour's Lost at Oak Park Festival Theatre) Robert Tobin as "General Lucius" (Love's Labour's Lost at Oak Park Festival Theatre) and Kate LoConti as "Valeria the Soothsayer" (Measure for Measure at the Goodman Theatre). The ensemble features Tyler Merle Thompson, Kelly Baskin, Andrew Coil, Royen Kent, and Michael Ferrarro.

First Folio is easy to get to from via the East-West Tollway (I-88) or the Stevenson Expressway (I-55). Free parking is available on the grounds. Preview tickets are $22. Regular priced tickets are $32 Wednesdays and Thursdays (seniors and students are $26), and $37 on Fridays through Sundays (seniors and students are $30). Three and four show subscriptions are available for $57-$105 (subscribers will receive $5 off each subscription if they are purchased by August 15, 2012). Season subscriptions and individual tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at 630.986.8067 or online at www.firstfolio.org.

James Earl Jones II and David Rice

David Rice and Ronald Keaton

Lia Mortensen and John Milewski

Matthew Keffer and Kate McDermott

Andrew Behling, Andrew Coil, Kate McDermott, David Rice

Andrew Coil, Robert Tobin, Tyler Rich, Ryan Czerwonko

Victoria Blade, Kelly Elizabeth Baskin, Michael Ferraro, Skyler Schrempp

CYMBELINE Cast