Lisa Wolpe to Bring SHAKESPEARE AND THE ALCHEMY OF GENDER to Orlando Shakespeare Theater

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF presents Lisa Wolpe's Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender. Created and performed by visionary theatre artist Lisa Wolpe, Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender is a globally acclaimed one-woman show that offers a unique celebration of cross-gender Shakespeare. Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender will be performed in the Margeson Theater on Sunday, February 28, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available now by calling (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, visiting www.orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

Finding celebration and solace in the words and enchanting power of Shakespeare, Lisa Wolpe explores the courageous, often tragic, but always fascinating history of her troubled family-weaving in personal photos, video and passages from Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, The Winter's Tale, Twelfth Night, Richard III, and Romeo and Juliet. Wolpe's story speaks toward liberation from the "gender box" of expectations, and offers a unique and powerful perspective of courage, resilience, and hope against her family's background of war, suicide, and despair.

"Lisa Wolpe is a master of both classic and contemporary theater and her one-woman show is full of both," said Orlando Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Jim Helsinger. "Orlando Shakes is thrilled to be able to showcase her talent and theater genius on our stage."

Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender has received national and global acclaim. Critics say "it contains some of the best Shakespeare performances I have seen" (The Play's The Thing UK), "Wolpe is one of the great stage actors of our generation, who breathes life into Shakespeare's words as though they were dredged from her own soul" (Shakespeare in LA), and "Lisa Wolpe's mesmerising performance celebrates Shakespeare's language and shows the humanity of his writing" (UK Theatre Network).

Lisa Wolpe, Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company and international activist working for the empowerment of women and diversity on the stage, has played more of the Bard's male roles than any woman in history including Hamlet, Richard III, Angelo, Leontes, Romeo, Shylock, and Iago. Past directing and acting credits include the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Repertory Company, Shakespeare & Company, Arizona Theater Company, and San Diego Repertory Theater. Wolpe has received multiple awards for excellence in Directing, Acting, and promoting diversity and excellence onstage.

In addition to Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender, Lisa Wolpe will also be starring in Orlando Shakes productions of The Tempest and The Adventures of Pericles.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater is supported by United Arts of Central Florida, host of power2give.org/centralflorida, and the collaborative Campaign for the Arts. Orlando Shakespeare Theater is also sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. This project is also funded in part by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program.

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