KING LEAR To Have Immersive Production With The Secret Theatre

The Secret Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for an immersive production of William Shakespeare’s King Lear, directed by Richard Mazda and Barbara McGlamery. Composer Zev Burrows is composing an original score and underscore for the production. Performances begin Friday, October 30 and continue through Saturday, November 21 at The Secret Theatre’s new space in Long Island City, Queens.

Shakespeare’s tragedy unfolds in a production that transports us to the world of Iron Age Britain and the tragic tale of King Lear, his daughters, and the downfall of his entire realm.  Moving with the action through multiple playing spaces, audiences become witnesses to what happens when the man at the center of the system abruptly tears apart the world around them. 

“At its heart, King Lear is a family tragedy. Lear loses everything. But it is also the story of the forces that make that tragedy possible—the story of a system destroying itself,” says co-director Barbara McGlamery. “The immersive form allows the audience to experience that collapse in an intimate setting” 

The production makes full use of The Secret Theatre’s expansive new Long Island City space; the company creates a series of environments through which actors and audience travel together. 

The production stars Richard Mazda as Lear, with Brian Smiga*, Musa Gurnis*, Lia Bonfilio*, Emily Glaser, Joe Schwalb*, Fraser Dickson, Jeffrey Roth*, Pat Shay*, Davis Wood, Joshua Mutterperl and Chuck Sams, with an ensemble company completing Shakespeare’s fractured kingdom. (* Equity members)

King Lear is co-directed by Richard Mazda and Barbara McGlamery, Costume Designer Sarah Hudkins and assistant Vanta, and Lighting & Sound Design by Rafael Guzman and Juan Morocho. Original Score by Zev Burrows. The production is produced by Alyssa Van Gorder with Associate Producer Camila Wilson.