(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) heads into its penultimate production for the 2023 Main Stage season with Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons. Bolt's dramatization of the political, social, and religious upheaval unleashed by Henry VIII's desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon in defiance of the Catholic Church, Spain, and the Pope is Shakespearean in its scope and themes. The production runs from October 18 – November 5, 2023.
The play depicts Sir Thomas More as a consummate man of conscience and principle, beloved by his family and the commoners, remaining faithful to his moral code to the very end, despite immense pressures, enticing alternatives, and the threat of death. Often funny and moving, the play is as compelling as any modern political thriller.
Tickets are available for purchase online or by calling the Box Office at 973-408-5600.
Artistic Director Bonnie J. Monte said of the production, “Not only is this play tremendously relevant for our current lives, but in these truly challenging times for regional theatres, when many companies are only offering downsized programming or one-person or small-cast shows, we are proud to be bringing audiences work of such broad scope. As theatres struggle to survive, we have managed to find a way to bring this epic piece to life, and we’re thrilled that it features not only long-time veterans of our company, but a number of exciting new talents as well. A large cast of stellar actors and a superb design team will bring this memorable tale to life in exhilarating fashion.”
The production is directed by Paul Mullins. The cast includes Roger Clark, Thomas Hammond, Kevin Isola, Anthony Marble, James McMenamin, Mary Stewart, Edward Furs, Ty Lane, Sean Mahan, Brianna Martinez, Aaron McDaniel, Raphael Nash, and Henry David Silberstein.
Roger Clark takes on the role of King Henry VIII. He is in his second season with the company, appearing previously in Buried Child. Roger has appeared in numerous productions throughout the UK and America, but he is best known for providing the performance capture of Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption II which earned him a Game Award and a BAFTA nomination.
Sir Thomas More will be played by Thomas Hammond, returning for his fourth season with The Shakespeare Theatre. His many Broadway credits include the recent and acclaimed Goodnight Oscar, To Kill A Mockingbird, M.Butterfly, The Iceman Cometh, A View From The Bridge, The Crucible, The Glass Menagerie, A Raisin In The Sun, Death of a Salesman, Lucky Guy, and The Merchant of Venice. Tom has performed in theatres across the nation as well as on Broadway, and in Billions, Blue Bloods, Law and Order, and Blacklist on television. He will soon appear in the new feature film Memory starring Jessica Chastain.
Kevin Isola plays The Common Man. In his eighth season with STNJ, he has delighted audiences time and again with his brilliant comedic skills as well as his prodigious performances in many Shakespeare productions. He has performed on Broadway in Brooklyn Boy, and at many of the nation’s most prestigious theatres including Lincoln Center, The Public Theater, The Guthrie, McCarter, Yale Rep, The Old Globe, and many more. His film and television appearances are too numerous to list.
Anthony Marble as the Duke of Norfolk is in his eighth season with STNJ. He is staying on for his third show this year, having just appeared as Vladimir in Waiting for Godot and Alvaro Mangiacavallo in The Rose Tattoo. He has appeared in productions in scores of theatres across America, and his film and television credits are as wide and varied as his theatre credits. He will soon be featured in the upcoming Netflix series, The Pink Marine.
New to the STNJ Main Stage is James McMenamin playing Thomas Cromwell. He has appeared on Broadway in Of Mice and Men and at numerous Off-Broadway venues. His regional credits include Berkshire Theatre Festival, The Old Globe, Arena Stage in D.C., Long Wharf, the Huntington in Boston, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. He has guest starred on over 20 television series and has had recurring roles on Manifest and Nurse Jackie amongst others. He is best known for his portrayal of Charlie “Donuts” Coates on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, for which he received a SAG Award for Best Ensemble in a Comedy.
Mary Stewart joins the cast as Alice More, direct from London. Last seen in STNJ’s I Capture the Castle over a decade ago, Mary returns to play the stalwart wife of Sir Thomas More. Her UK and American theatre credits are copious and she has also appeared on film and television in The Crown, Berlin Station, Archie, Boardwalk Empire, and The Toys That Built America.
Rounding out the cast in pivotal roles are Edward Furs as Signor Chapuys; Ty Lane as William Roper; Sean Mahan as Cranmer; Brianna Martinez as Margaret More; Aaron McDaniel as Richard Rich; Raphael Nash Thompson as Cardinal Woolsey; and Henry David Silberstein as the Attendant.
The Director: Paul Mullins is in his 30th season with STNJ. Previously he has directed 25 plays and acted in another 21 during Bonnie J. Monte’s tenure as Artistic Director at STNJ. Audiences will remember his acclaimed performance in last season’s production of The Caretaker as Davies.
The Creative Team: A Man for All Seasons features Set Design by Charlie Calvert, Costume Design by Andrea Hood, Sound Design by Liam Bellman-Sharpe, and Lighting Design by Michael Giannitti. Julie Foh is the Dialect Coach, Jackie Mariani is the Production Stage Manager, and Mary Ruth Knackstedt is the Assistant Stage Manager.
Tickets: Single tickets for A Man for All Seasons begin at $34 for preview performances and $55 for regular performances. Prices range from $34 to $65. The Theatre offers various cost-saving opportunities, including $15 student rush tickets, which are available 30 minutes prior to each performance with a valid student ID, and a limited number of Pay What You Can tickets for every performance on a first-come, first-served basis. STNJ also has a $30 Under 30 ticket option, which offers $30 tickets for patrons aged 30 and under with valid ID. Other discounts are available including subscription discounts, and a 10% discount for members of PBS/Thirteen and AAA. For tickets, patrons can call the Box Office at 973-408-5600 or visit ShakespeareNJ.org.
Audience Enrichment & Accessible Performances: For the same price as a regular ticket, the Symposium Series performances offer a post-show discussion with the cast and artistic staff. For A Man for All Seasons, Symposium performances will be held on Tuesday, October 24th at 7:30pm, Saturday, October 28th at 2:00pm, and Saturday, November 4th at 2:00pm.
Know-the-Show pre-show talks are offered free of cost with the purchase of a performance ticket. Prior to the Thursday, October 26th performance, at 7:00pm, Ms. Monte will conduct a pre-show talk and Q&A for interested patrons. The performance that night follows at 8:00pm.
The Shakespeare Theatre also offers Closed-Caption performances and Audio-Described performances throughout the season. The captioned performance for A Man for All Seasons will be on Thursday, October 26th at 8:00pm. The Audio-Described performance will be on Thursday, November 2nd at 8:00pm. For more information, please contact the Box Office.
The acclaimed Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is an independent, professional theatre company whose Main Stage is located on the Drew University campus. One of the leading classic theatres in the nation, it is New Jersey’s largest professional theatre company dedicated solely to Shakespeare’s canon and other world classics. Through its distinguished productions and education programs, the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for a diverse and contemporary audience.
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional major support is received from the F.M. Kirby Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, MacMillan Family Foundation, The Edward T. Cone Foundation, CTW Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Shakespeare in American Communities: National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, The Samuel H. Scripps Foundation, E.J. Grassmann Trust, Hyde and Watson Foundation, New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund at the Princeton Area Community Foundation, Union Foundation, The Merrill G. and Emita E. Hastings Foundation, Turrell Fund, The Jack K. Ayre & Frank Ayre Lee Theatre Foundation, The John R. Eckel Jr. Foundation, and the Howard Gilman Foundation, as well as contributions from numerous other foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals.
