Take Wing And Soar Presents KING LEAR From 2/20-3/1

TAKE WING AND SOAR PRODUCTIONS proudly presents Shakespeare's KING LEAR, at the National Black Theatre, from February 20th - March 1st. Directed by Shakespearean actor & director Timothy D. Stickney, KING LEAR stars Tony Award winning actress TREZANA BEVERLEY.
KING LEAR tells a poignant tale of tragedy, murder, greed, power, madness & ungrateful children! Can a man of power, give away that which makes him powerful & still rule? Join the TWAS Classical Actors of Color as they share the stage with Tony Award winning actress Trezana Beverley* as she takes on the role of a King gone mad, in one of the greatest plays in world drama. Joining Ms. Beverley in starring roles are Leon Addison Brown*, Jim DeMonic* & Bryan Webster*.

Featured in the cast are James Edward Becton*, Freeman Borden, Alvin Chan, Matthew Cohn, Robin LeMon*, Jennifer Le Blanc*, Anja Lee*, Marcus Lorenzo, Tom Martin, Morgan McGuire, Khemali Murray, Declan Sammon, Tovah Suttle*, Chris Triana, Armand Valdes, Kari Nicole Washington* & Mary Hodges* as Lear's Fool.

Dramaturgy is by Dr. Mark Ringer, Scenic Design by Pavlo Bosyy, Costume Design by Ali Turns, Lighting Design by Joyce Liao & Sound Design by David D. Wright. Production Stage Manager is Norman Small. Artistic Director & Producer of KING LEAR is Debra Ann Byrd, Producer is Flora Gillard & Associate Producer is David Weaver.

Trezana Beverley (King Lear) won the 1976 Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf. Ms. Beverley has since created a unique signature in the American theatre. She is not only recognized as one of our country's great actresses, but is also a master acting teacher, director & singer. Ms. Beverley recently starred as Medea in TWAS' award nominated production of MEDEA. She has been a guest director on the theatre faculties of NYU Tisch School of The Arts, Rutgers University, Brandeis University, City College, SUNY Purchase & currently, The Julliard School. Trezana was an artist in residence at the PlayMakers Repertory Co. in Chapel Hill, NC for two years where she was able to further develop her original performance genre DanzActing^TM. Her recent regional directing credits include Salome, Yellowman & String Of Pearls & her directing work on Salome was sighted in American Theater Magazine [September 2003]. She made her New York commercial theatre debut with the production of The Darker Face of the Earth.

Timothy D. Stickney (Director) has been a theater professional for more than twenty years, working with Take Wing And Soar Productions since its inaugural season. Timothy has led award-nominated productions of Richard III & Hamlet for TWAS; as well as directing gender bending workshops of Julius Caesar & Othello & taking on the position of Associate Artistic Director for the company.

In 2008, decades after his first professional gig as Tybalt in Romeo & Juliet with National Shakespeare Company, Stickney reprised Juliet's kinsman for The Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada . He was also Pothinus in Caesar & Cleopatra with Christopher Plummer for the festival, which was recorded for broadcast & theatrical release by Bravo & CTV. Mr. Stickney returns to Stratford this season to be Banquo in their production of Macbeth. 2008 also saw Timothy's Macbeth for the New York State Theatre Institute receive glowing reviews. Recent seasons have seen Timothy's Audelco nominated Othello (Africa Arts), Oswald in the Public Theater's King Lear with Kevin Kline & Escalus in Romeo & Juliet at the Delacorte in Central Park, as well as productions of Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 & The Taming of the Shrew with Morgan Freeman for the Public Theater.

Take Wing And Soar Productions, Inc. founded in 1999 by classically trained actress Debra Ann Byrd, is women-led New York State, 501(c) 3 Professional Theatre Arts Corporation, dedicated to supporting women, youth & classically trained actors of color. Take Wing And Soar Productions exists primarily to help classical actors of color to realize their full potential. Thanks to the generosity and support of Dr. Barbara Ann Teer, TWAS Inc. has been a professional theatre company in residence at the National Black Theatre for the past five years. Take Wing And Soar Productions is a Member Organization of the Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations, Alliance of Resident Theatres New York, the Harlem Arts Alliance, and the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce. For more information about TWAS Inc. visit us online at www.takewingandsoar.org

DATES: February 20th - March 1st
TIMES: Wed - Sat @ 8pm, Sat @ 2pm & Sun @ 4pm
THEATRE: National Black Theatre ~ North Tower
2031 Fifth Avenue @ 125th Street
TICKETS: $18 ~ Student/Senior $15
RESERVATIONS: SmartTix (212) 868-4444 or www.smarttix.com
SHOW WEBSITE: www.takewingandsoar.org