The African Company Presents RICHARD III

The African Company presents a benefit reading of Richard III by Carlyle Brown. The performance takes place on Monday, January 11, 2021 at 7:30 PM EST via livestream.

In 1821-forty years before the abolition of slavery, and fifty years before Black Americans earned the right to vote-two productions of Shakespeare's Richard III are On the Rialto. One is presented by the African Company of New York, known for putting on plays in a downtown Manhattan theatre to which both Black and white audiences flocked. The other is helmed by Stephen Price, an uptown theater impresario who-fearful of the African Company's production, which is garnering large white audiences-manipulates the law and employs his privilege to shutter the competition. Shakespeare is the cultural battleground in this inventive, emotional, and energetic retelling of a pivotal moment in American theater history.

Directed by Carl Cofield, this livestream benefit reading will feature Clifton Duncan, Edward Gero, Dion Johnstone, Paul Niebanck, Antoinette Robinson, Charlayne Woodard, and more.

The cast will come together to present the play live from their homes--anything can happen. It will premiere at 7:30 PM EST on Monday, January 11. A recording of the broadcast will be available until 7:00 PM EST on Friday, January 15 - then it disappears.

For tickets and more details, click here.