Classical Theatre of Harlem presents THE THREE MUSKETEERS

The Classical Theatre of Harlem (Ty Jones, Producing Artistic Director) presents the New York premiere of The Three Musketeers, written by Catherine Bush and adapted from the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas.

It's all for one and one for all as D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers fight to protect the ones they love from the sinister exploits of Cardinal Richelieu. A swashbuckling tale replete with lavish fights and sweeping romance, The Three Musketeers reminds us that together with strength, courage, wit and wisdom, you can always defend what you believe in.

An action-packed adventure fit for the whole family, The Three Musketeers follows the escapades of the brave d'Artagnan, who seeks to join the legendary Three Musketeers- the cynical Athos, the vain Porthos and the priestly Aramis- in order to defend the honor of the King and Queen against the villainous Cardinal Richelieu. Meanwhile, Richelieu's top agents, the bloodthirsty Rochefort and femme fatale Milady de Winter, carry out an intricate plan to sabotage the Queen and undermine the King's power.

As this 19th century classic was written by Dumas, a Frenchman of Haitian ancestry, the design is inspired by an Afro-Caribbean aesthetic with a nod to 17th century European architecture. Vivid patterns and textures will add an unexpected flair to period costumes setting the scene for Bennett's fresh take on the timeless piece.

"Last year, we chose to do MacBeth Because I believe that it's Shakespeare's most politically significant play, and we are living in politically significant times. The unrest following the 2017 election has now escalated, and the current social climate has our entire political system under indictment. A new majority must be forged, one where the pursuit of ethical truths and the recognition of our shared humanity outweighs our appetite for hyper-individualism and status. The main characters in 'The Three Musketeers', though from different backgrounds, must forge an alliance to combat the reprobate behavior of those in the ruling class. 'All for one and one for all' is a call to action that resonates now more than ever," said Ty Jones, Producing Artistic Director of The Classical Theatre of Harlem.

The company of THE THREE MUSKETEERS is Miriam Hyman (as D'Artagnan; The Piano Lesson ), Emmanuel Brown (as Athos; Spider-man: Turn Off the Dark, Kung Fu), BranDon Carter (as Aramis; The Brothers Size, Blood at the Root), Reynaldo Piniella (as Porthos; The Death of the Last Black Man..., The Tempest with CTH), Michael Early (as Cardinal Richelieu; CTH's A Midsummer Night's Dream ), R.J. Foster (as Rochefort; Richard III), Anthony Merchant (as King Louis; CTH's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Measure for Measure), and Piera Van de Weil (as Milady). The ensemble features Afia Abusham, Jeffrey Alkins, Jamar Brathwaite, Avon Haughton, Ava McCoy, Nedra Snipes, Jorge Sanchez, Jak Watson and The Elisa Monte Dance Company.

Enter the park at 124th Street & Fifth Avenue, and walk south to the venue. Tickets: FREE to general public, no reservations required.. The Three Musketeers begins preview performances on Friday July 7 at 8:30PM and Saturday July 8 at 8:00PM. Opening night is Sunday, July 9 at 8:00PM. Shows will continue from July 11 - 30. Friday performances are at 8:30PM. All other shows begin at 8:00PM. Please note, there are no performances on Mondays.

**Note: In event of inclement weather, notice of show cancellations will be made via The Classical Theatre of Harlem's website and social media pages, please refer to below for web addresses.**

Director: JENNY BENNETT is a fourth-generation theatre woman who's worked with CTH in a variety of capacities for the last nine years, including: directing (Henry V, 2011; Madwoman of Chaillot Revisited Classics Reading 2012), acting (Mary & Elisabeth in Emancipation, 2008), stage management (SEED workshop ASM; various readings), and Interim General Management (DETROIT '67, The First Noel 2016 and beyond). Most recently, she directed Much Ado About Nothing, which runs in the Blackfriars at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC) through Thanksgiving; previously with ASC: King Lear (2016) and The Winter's Tale (2015). As a guest artist, she directed The Comedy of Errors and Much Ado About Nothing with the Conservatory Seniors of SUNY Purchase at Purchase Rep. In Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Jenny founded a theatre company and collaborated with International Artists for seven years. Taiwan directing includes Macbeth; Dangerous Liaisons/ Weixian Guanxi; Romeo & Juliet; Into the Woods; As You Like It!; Godspell; The Threepenny Opera. A former SDCF Kurt Weill Fellow, she has an MFA from the PTTP at the University of Delaware and a BA in Drama from the University of Virginia. Jenny is a member of the LCT Directors Lab. Twitter: @bennyjennett

The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) is an American theatre company that tells stories as seen through the lens of the African diaspora and does work that honors the cultural legacy of the neighborhood in which it was founded. CTH combines original adaptations, music, and dance to present great classics of world literature as well as contemporary works that will stand the test of time while being truly reflective of the diversity of ideas and racial tapestry that is America. Since its founding in 1999, CTH has presented works ranging from traditional classical playwrights (Anton Chekhov, Euripides and William Shakespeare), to established 20th-century playwrights (August Wilson, Langston Hughes and Jean Genet) to new plays by emerging playwrights. CTH also proudly provides theater-based training and live theater experiences to Harlem youth and their families through its arts education program, Project Classics. The organization engages new audiences, provides artistic development of new work, and gives exposure to emerging playwrights with its three free reading series: Future Classics, Playwrights' Playground, and Revisited Classics.

For more information about CTH visit: http://www.cthnyc.org.

Major support for CTH provided by Axe-Houghton Foundation, The Braugher Family, Casement Fund, Coalition of Theatres of Color, The Columbus Foundation, ConEdison, Douglas & Paige Armentrout, Ford Foundation, Google, Harlem Community Development Corporation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Jarvis & Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, L & N Andreas Foundation, Luther & Deborah Ragin, National Endowment for the Arts, New York Community Trust, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, The Office of Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, The Office of NYC Councilmember Inez Dickens, The Office of NYC Councilmember Mark Levine, Puffin Foundation West, Robert & Mercedes Eichholz Foundation, SHS Foundation, and Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone.