Julius Caesar at Old Library Theatre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Old Library Theatre announces their first production of the 2026 season, “Julius Caesar”

(Wayne, NJ – April 10th, 2026) – Old Library Theatre (OLT), will present the play, Julius Caesar, April 24th-26th. Performances are on Friday and Saturday evening at 7:30pm, with a Sunday matinee at 2:00pm.

Julius Caesar- Featuring a cast of 11 actors, OLT's "Caesar" promises a 21st century update in the style of modern political dramas such as "The West Wing."

All performances will take place at Berdan Hall (Preakness Reformed Church) in Wayne, NJ. Tickets may be purchased online: olt.ludus.com

Julius Caesar is written by Shakespeare. The show is directed by Valerie Caniglia. The show is produced by Kay Koch and Dave Toussas. The production team is rounded out by stage manager Ash Torbic and fight choreographer Michael Serpe.

Director Valerie Caniglia says, "Full disclosure, I hadn't read Julius Caeser since high school. When the opportunity arose for me to direct this play, I dusted off my old copy to read through it again. Needless to say, I was very struck by the similarities of Rome 44 and 42 BCE and the overall world in 2026. To bring a better understanding of a 400-year-old story to a modern audience, we're updating it to a city inspired by Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing.

"There are many things that stand out about Julius Caeser that our incredible company and team have discussed many times: manipulation and mob mentality, fate versus free will, ethics versus power, the dangers of revenge and political ambition, the choice between doing what is right and what is easy all in the name of honor. But what stands out for me, personally, the most is the question of political violence and its consequences. Were the conspirators correct in their actions by stopping a tyrant before it was too late or did they commit stone-cold murder strictly to advance their own power?

"We're currently living in a time where political violence is almost looked at with a shrug and shared on social media like it's nothing. It's horrific and should be treated as such. I'm not sure what people will think when they walk away from our show; people will see the story and interpret it how they will. But I do hope it sparks conversations about the power of celebrity politicians and what constitutes an act of political sacrifice."

Julius Caesar features a cast of eleven: Andrew Parks playing Julius Caesar, Brandon Ali playing Brutus, Laura Anthony playing Mark Antony, Katie Felici playing Cassius, Cindy Ryan playing Calpurnia / Octavius, Ella Papanyan playing Decius Brutus / Ensemble, Enver Messano playing The Soothsayer / Lucius, Bonner Doemling playing Portia / Cinna the Poet, Kareem Habal playing Cinna, Ocean Scheyd playing Casca, and Maddie Jones playing Rome’s Top Influencer.

Performances are held at the Preakness Reformed Church in Berdan Hall located at 131 Church Lane, Wayne, NJ 07470. Tickets are available now - https://olt.ludus.com/index.php - and are $30. Old Library Theatre is committed to bringing quality entertainment at an affordable cost in Bergen County.

Media Contact: info@oldlibrarytheatre.net