A Noise Within to present two plays in March

A NOISE WITHIN OPENS TWO PRODUCTIONS IN MARCH

SHAKESPEARE’S ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA
Saturday, March 3, to Sunday, May 13, 2012
(previews begin Saturday, February 25)

TONY KUSHNER’S ADAPTATION OF THE ILLUSION BY PIERRE CORNEILLE
Saturday, March 17, to Saturday, May 19, 2012
(previews begin March 10)

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed classical repertory theatre company, continues its inaugural season in its permanent new home in Pasadena, with two productions in rotation in March.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’s ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, opening Saturday, March 3 and closing Sunday, May 13, 2012 (previews begin Saturday, February 25), remains a towering tragedy of larger-than-life figures caught up in an empire-shattering dance of lust, love, politics and war. Long on the ANW wish list, it was an early choice for the inaugural Pasadena season, according to Geoff Elliott, who co-directs with Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. “Until now, we just didn’t have the physical capability to give this play, with its many battle scenes and great surround, the grandness it deserves,” he notes. “The depth of our new space has opened up tremendous artistic possibilities for us.” Both history play and sweeping love story, Antony and Cleopatra is undeniably one of the most challenging works in the Shakespeare canon to bring to the stage. Indeed, the last Broadway revival of the classic was in 1952, with a cast headed by real-life star-crossed lovers Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier.

What is reality and what is not? In THE ILLUSION by PIERRE CORNEILLE, adapted by TONY KUSHNER and directed by Casey Stangl, opening Saturday, March 17 and closing Saturday, May 19, 2012 (previews begin Saturday, March 10), a father seeks to reunite with his estranged son. When he enlists the services of a powerful sorcerer to conjure up scenes from the young man’s life, however, the provocative images that the sorcerer shows the anxious father may or may not be quite what they seem. Tony Kushner (Angels in America) triumphantly revitalizes this 17th century theatrical fairy tale, first told by French classical dramatist Pierre Corneille in 1639, and the intoxicating result is poetic and profound, timely and transcendent, comic and moving, and a luminous paean to live theatre and the celebratory theme of this ANW season.

Single tickets are $46 (Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees); and $42 (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings and Saturday matinees). Groups (10 or more) are $27 (weekdays and Saturday matinees), and $32 (Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees); School Groups (10 or more) are $16 (weekdays and matinees), or $20 (Saturday evenings).

A NOISE WITHIN is located on the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Sierra Madre Villa Avenue at 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107. Free self parking is located in the Sierra Madre Villa Metro parking structure, with entrances on northbound Sierra Madre Villa Avenue or North Halstead Street. Valet parking is also available. To purchase tickets, call (626) 356-3100 or visit www.ANoiseWithin.org.