Madness and Mayhem With 3 MEN IN TIGHTS Delights the Holidays

Hold onto your codpiece! Delaware Theatre Company brings revisionist Elizabethan theater to the boards. THE COMPLETE WORKS OF William Shakespeare (abridged) [REVISED] re-creates all 37 of William Shakespeare's plays in no less than 97 minutes portrayed by 3 very nimble actors from November 29-December 23, 2017.

Hailed as a phenomenally popular parody, this madcap comedy is a hilarious fast-paced romp through the Bard's collection of master works.

Three (and only 3) men in tights weave their wacky way through ALL of Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories and Tragedies in one wild performance that leaves you breathless with laughter. The play written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1987 and has been the most performed stage parody for the last 20 years.

Having portrayed Hamlet, Macbeth and Richard III himself, Director Steve Tague, will undoubtedly spin his own brand of staging wizardry into this beloved spoof. Renown locally as an Actor/Director at the University of Delaware's REP and part of their Undergraduate Faculty, Steve was lured back to Delaware Theatre Company by Bud Martin, Executive Director.

"The first time I attended a show at DTC was in 2007 and it was Steve Tague's production of COMPLETE WORKS," Bud recalls, "I don't remember laughing so hard at a show. When I came to DTC in 2012, I saw that it was the highest grossing show at DTC until that time. So I was anxious to have Steve revive his wonderful production for us, especially after his very successful A CHRISTMAS CAROL last season. The great thing about this play, is that it can change every day based on current events, so it will be much different than in 2007."

The question remains: Can 3 guys really cover thirty-seven Shakespeare plays in less than 2 hours? Our 3 players allege they can do just that. "Actor 1,"played by John Zak, "Actor 2" portrayed by Jeffrey C. Hawkins and "Actor 3" enacted by Josh Carpenter will amaze and delight you through your unusual Elizabethan journey. The frivolity begins with a very eccentric Romeo and Juliet, followed by a parody of Titus Andronicus (as a cooking show), and segues into Othello as you have never experienced, YO! Hamlet, of course, is reserved until the second act as the pièces de résistance. Various dialects, hilarious accents and surprising impersonations round out a most enjoyable theater experience you will not forget.

A delightful choice of holiday entertainment for the whole family, THE COMPLETE WORKS OF William Shakespeare (abridged) [REVISED] is full of fast-paced energy as characters run across the stage and keep you guessing what's next, especially enhanced by clever quick-change props and costuming which add to the raucous joyride.

Tickets for this performance starting at $25 and can be purchased online at DelawareTheatre.org or by calling our Box Office at (302) 594-1100. Group and student rates are available.

Institutional Summary: Currently in our 39th season, Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) is Delaware's premier non-profit professional theatre. Recognized as a cornerstone in the Brandywine Valley's rich cultural landscape, DTC has produced nearly 200 plays for over one million residents and visitors in its community.

For more than two decades, DTC has been a pioneer in the revitalization of Wilmington's Christina Riverfront and cultural district as the only LORT theatre in the state. Delaware Theatre Company has developed four new musicals: Something Wicked This Way Comes (September 2017), based on the novel by Ray Bradbury, with book by Brian Hill and music and lyrics by Neil Bartram, Diner (December 2015) by Barry Levinson and Sheryl Crow, which broke a 37-year box office record, Maurice Hines' Tappin' Thru Life (September 2015), Because of Winn-Dixie (April 2015) by Duncan Sheik and Nell Benjamin. Since Bud Martin's arrival in 2012, DTC has seen a 54% increase in subscribers and a 234% increase in single ticket buyers, making Delaware Theatre Company an up and coming player in regional theater. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.