THE WINTER'S TALE to Open on PCS Theater's Second Stage

PCS Theater will present William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, adapted and directed by Arlowe Willingham, taking the Raymond W. Smith Second Stage August 21 through August 30.

Blending heartbreaking tragedy with joyful comedy, The Winter's Tale follows King Leontes, whose consuming jealousy shatters his family and kingdom. Spanning two countries and twenty years, Shakespeare's sweeping romance journeys from devastating loss to unexpected reunion in a story filled with mistaken judgments, unlikely hope, enduring love, and the possibility of redemption.

This fresh adaptation embraces the emotional complexity of Shakespeare's original while making the story immediate and deeply resonant for modern audiences.

"When I reread The Winter's Tale to prepare for this production, I was struck by how Shakespeare's 400-year-old emotional whiplash is just as intense as it is familiar," says director Arlowe Willingham. "This play reminds me that we have all been trying to reconcile our various joys and griefs together for as long as we've felt all of them."

Willingham continues, "I hope this production is a place where audiences are welcome to feel everything at once and find comfort in this fantastical, sweeping tale of love, loss, and everything in between. The Winter's Tale asks whether time can heal. I don't know the answer, but I hope our mistakes, flaws, and harms can, like Leontes, be met with truth, grace, and even second chances."

Adding another unique dimension to the production is an original musical score performed by Weird Blip, featuring John B. Hedges (keyboard, shruti box, vocals), Alana Hoskins (percussion, vocals), Melissa Santangelo (harp, percussion, recorder, vocals), AJ Rose Wallihan (percussion), Arlowe Willingham (flute, oboe, vocals), and Kat Wilson (vocals).

The story unfolds in the Kingdom of Sicilia before leaping twenty years into the future in Bohemia, creating an epic theatrical experience that blends royal drama, pastoral celebration, music, and Shakespeare's unforgettable poetry.

The cast includes Hermione – Britt Fauzer*, Leontes – Thomas-Robert Irvin, Polixenes – David Nibert*, Camillo – Kevin McPeak, Mamillius – Ivy Jackson*, Antigonus / Time – Cathy Gibbons Mostek, Paulina – Susan Bolt, Dion / Mariner – Ryan Mattox, Cleomenes / Bear / Dorcas – Melissa Santangelo, Shepherd / Doctor – Dani Kennedy, Clown / Guard – Kat Wilson, Autolycus / Lord – Alana Hoskins*, Florizel / Lord – X Bradley*, and Perdita / Emilia – Kira McFadden*.