CONQUERING THE CANON at Theatre Row Studios, Theater 5

Michael Hagins, the artistic director of C.A.G.E. Theatre Company, was selected to premiere his newest one-man show for the 2025 Downtown Urban Arts Festival.

https://bfany.org/theatre-row/shows/duaf-2025/

The absolutely true story of Michael Hagins and how he did every Shakespeare play…or What You Will!

Michael Hagins may be the only African-American artist to ever take part in every play of William Shakespeare’s complete Canon.  He tells the story of his work, going through the plays and the people that changed his life and guided him to this amazing feat; but as he recounts it all, he learns that with every great achievement and life changing moment, comes a great loss.  Come and listen as Michael proceeds to tell his story... Shakespeare style!

This is the second one-man show that Michael Hagins has written.  He is the writer of the autobiographical work Michael is Black, which won Best Solo Show in 2017. Michael joins the Downtown Urban Arts Festival for the second time, as he took part in 2022 with his work A Shot Rang Out, which was nominated for 7 off-off Broadway World Awards from BroadwayWorld.com.  Michael Hagins recently debuted his original work The Senator Speaks for the African-American Initiative for the American Theater of Actors.  He also is the writer of the NYC Fringe award winning production F***ed Up Fairytales, produced by Rising Sun Performance Company.

Showing on Friday, June 27th at 8 pm in Theatre Five at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street)

Directed by Melissa Meli

Projections and Technical Direction by Adam Sherwin

Hagins is an award-winning actor, director, playwright, producer and fight director, who has taken part in hundreds of productions over his 20+ years of indie theatre in New York City.

Ticket Link: https://bfany.org/theatre-row/shows/duaf-2025/

About the playwright/performer: MICHAEL HAGINS is a published African-American Playwright, Director, Fight Director, Actor, and Producer. Michael is a Member of Dramatists Guild and an Advanced Actor-Combatant for the Society of American Fight Directors. Michael was born in Brooklyn, New York, but raised in a small town in Florida for his childhood. He has used the racism and prejudice he dealt with at an early age to fuel his writing, which he has done since the age of 9. Michael is an avid lover of Shakespeare, having performed or directed every play in the Shakespeare Canon, and has performed, directed and taken part in hundreds of plays and films over his artistic career.

About the company: The C.A.G.E. (Classical Avant-Garde Experimental) Theatre of New York City was started in 2004 by Michael Hagins, and brought classical and classic-themed works to a modern audience for over seven years. Its mission statement is to bring a renewed understanding of the famous works of the Greeks, the Renaissance and the Restoration to a new and updated audience, and bring out the appeal that has lasted for thousands of years. This is done by giving new looks and concepts to texts by modifying costuming, sets, and props, but without changing the text or plot in any way.

C.A.G.E. showcases the works of authors from varying times and shares the themes of other ages to understand history and how similar the life and times of then are very close to now.

About the director: Melissa Meli has acted in, directed, and/or produced 27 of the plays in the Shakespeare canon, and 17 of them have been in collaboration with Michael Hagins. Directing highlights: The Tempest, The Importance of Being Earnest, and short plays Circe and J Train as part of the Planet Connections Festival. Favorite acting credits include Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), The Whimsical World of Sherlock Holmes (Billy), and As You Wish It (Princess Buttercup - nominated for outstanding performance Broadway World Awards and NEPTA). Melissa co-hosts a murder mystery review podcast, the Amateur Detective Club. IG: @melissajmeli_