(WEST ORANGE, NJ) -- Luna Stage is presenting the World Premiere of Zachary Elkind’s new adaptation of Shakespeare’s Richard II from October 20 to November 13 on the MainStage. Streamlined to a fleet 90 minutes, the play features four actors playing 16 roles, and highlights the humor and urgency of this taut, intimate, heartbreakingly political tragedy. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.

Elkind was inspired by the timely resonances, as well as the humor and poetry, of this seldom-produced classic. “Shakespeare's thrilling, complex language cuts right to the questions we're asking ourselves today,” Elkind said. “If power is concentrated in one person, is the exercise of that power fundamentally unjust and arbitrary? And if being in power makes a person unable to realize even their own humanity, how can anyone hope to be a ‘good’ king?”

“Living in a fraught political time, with an unsecured succession and the ever-present threat of violent insurrection or civil war, Shakespeare wrote a play that daringly considers whether any structured, hierarchical form of power can be legitimate,” Elkind continued.

The role of Richard II will be played by Luna veteran Giuliana Carr, previously seen in the title role of Hannah Arendt aka Mrs. Stern in 2019’s Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library. Carr will also play the characters of Willoughby, Second Gardener, and Duchess of York.

Nathan Darrow (Netflix’s House of Cards) will play Bolingbroke, Green, Ross and Gardener, Darin F. Earl II (Luna’s The Giant Void In My Soul) plays John of Gaunt, Bagot, Duke of York, and Hotspur and Gabby Policano (Shakespeare veteran and three-time Nuyorican Poets Cafe slam winner) rounds out the company as Mowbray, Aumerle, Bushy, and Northumberland.

Performances are Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 3:00pm beginning October 20 and running through November 13.  Tickets are available for purchase online. Ticket price suggestions range from $10-$80. As part of our commitment to equity and access, all Luna Stage programs are Pay-What-You-Choose.  Luna Stage is located at 555 Valley Road in West Orange, New Jersey.

Here are more photos from the production.

Luna Stage develops and produces vibrant plays about local and global experiences. They bring communities together for artistic events that spark conversations and create understanding and change. Firmly rooted in New Jersey's Valley Arts District - a crossroads of cultures - they celebrate the diverse voices that surround us. As producer, innovator, and educator, they are dedicated to eliminating barriers to participation, and nurturing the next generation of audiences and artists.

John Posada is a New Jersey based photographer specializing in live theatre and music performances. For more than 10 years, John has photographed live music events where he mastered the techniques of timing and capturing fast moving action under challenging lighting conditions to capture that perfect moment that tells a story in a single image. Currently, John has photographed over 110 productions for over 70 different theatres and venues. Click here for John's website.