“Henry V” Performed By An All-Female Cast
Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
(574) 284-4579
March 24, 2014 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—The Saint Mary’s College Theatre Program is proud to announce Henry V as the 2014 spring production. Performances will take place in Little Theatre, Moreau Center for the Arts, at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Apr. 3 through Saturday, Apr. 5 and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 6.
Directed by Mark Abram-Copenhaver, associate professor of theatre, and comprised of an entirely female cast at this women’s college, the theatre program will perform their unique rendition of William Shakespeare’s Henry V. The play tells the story of King Henry V in 15th century England and the war with France. It contains a collection of scenes, each very different from one another.
Abram-Copenhaver shared, “This story about war, to be told by a group of female performers, gives a different lens on the play.” Shakespeare’s original work, conversely, includes nearly all male roles and only a few female. This cast includes 18 students and five faculty/staff members from within the community, ranging from experienced actors to first-time performers. “Working on Shakespeare,” he explains, “is very valuable for actors. It not only presents a whole new set of challenges, but it also demands a certain precision with language.”
Abram-Copenhaver, who has served as production manager of the Shakespeare Festival at the University of Notre Dame for years, says there is something timeless about Shakespeare.
“When you can be precise with the language of Shakespeare and make the poetry clear to an audience then you can do that with more modern texts even more effectively.”
Another element that transcends time is war. “Unfortunately, the reason that it is still worth doing the play is because we still have war. For current college students, our nation has been at war for most of their lives.”
Henry V is the second production of the Saint Mary’s theatre program’s two productions put on each year. Radium Girls was this academic year’s fall 2013 production.
Tickets may be purchased online or by visiting moreaucenter.com or the Moreau Center box office Monday- Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or calling (574)-284-4626. Ticket prices are as follows:
Adults: $13
Senior Citizens: $12
SMC/ND/HCC Faculty and Staff: $10
SMC/ND/HCC Students: $8
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. The College’s single-gender environment has been proven, in study after study, to foster confidence, ethical leadership, and strong academic success. Saint Mary's College ranks 76 among the 248 “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” for 2014 published by U.S. News and World Report. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College’s mission is to educate women and prepare them for postgraduate success whether it’s a first job, graduate school, or postgraduate service.