TYRANTS Will Have a Special Presentation at The U.S. National Archives This Week

TYRANTS, a new musical based on the life of Edwin Booth starring Tony nominee A.J. SHIVELY, will play two special concert performances this Friday and Saturday at the United States National Archives in Washington, D.C.

TYRANTS will premiere at the William G. McGowan Theater at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. in a special concert presentation on Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7. Both performances take place at 7:00pm. All performances are free, but tickets must be secured in advance at TyrantsTheMusical.com for both dates.

TYRANTS features music and lyrics by Alexander Sage Oyen and a book by NORA BRIGID MONAHAN with direction by John Simpkins.  

CYNTHIA MENG provides music direction, with Jakob Reinhardt providing audio engineering and guitar, Sean Murphy on bass, and DEREK STOLTENBERG on drums.

The evening is produced by Robert Bowman and HUNDRED NIGHTS HAMLET, LLC and hosted by the NATIONAL ARCHIVES FOUNDATION. It is executive produced by ALLISON BRESSI, associate produced by AMY SAPP, with line production by STEVEN BREITER.

David H. Lurie serves as production coordinator, with Rachel Franco as assistant production coordinator. Nathan Dame serves as music assistant/copyist with REGINA AVERION as A1. 

TYRANTS stars Tony Award-nominated A.J. SHIVELY (Paradise Square) in the titular role of Edwin Booth, with Eric William Morris (King Kong) as John Wilkes Booth, JENNIFER FOUCHÉ (POTUS) as Laura Keene, Jason Tam (Be More Chill) as Adam Badeau, and T. Oliver Reid (Hadestown) as Ira Aldridge. The presentation will also feature Natalie Toro (Les Miserables) as Mary Ann Holmes, Thom Sesma (The Times They Are A-Changin') as Julius Brutus Booth, Thani Brant (Fun Home at Studio Theatre) as Young John Wilkes, JACK DOSSETT (Parade at American Theatre Group) as Young Edwin, and Jack Bowman (Aunt Jack Off-Broadway) as Francis Wilkeson.

In TYRANTS, politics becomes personal when two brothers find themselves on opposing ends of a defining moment in American history. While celebrating the news of the recent Confederate surrender and the end of the war, acclaimed actor Edwin Booth receives word of the death of President Abraham Lincoln at the hands of his brother, John Wilkes. 

As rioters threaten to destroy Edwin's home, he is forced to relive the events of his past and examine his own role in the younger sibling's dark path. Using one of our country's most infamous stories, TYRANTS explores our responsibility toward self, family, and country.