The U's Department of Theatre presents William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, set in a futuristic Rome run by women. Guest directed by David Carey, the production runs Oct. 26-Nov. 4 in Studio 115.
The vision for this futuristic, women-ruled production of Julius Caesar comes from guest director, David Carey. Carey is a UK National Teaching Award-winning Fellow who has worked as a Voice and, Text Director on over 30 productions at the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and who has taught at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He made the decision to cast 13 women and 5 men in what he calls a “gender-flipped version of Shakespeare’s play.” The casting led to the development of a conceptual Rome set in 2118, where Caesar has declared herself “Mother of the Motherland.”
“The increasing domino-effect of climate change across the world led to the complete disruption of advanced technology and the collapse of the social order by 2048,” Carey says about this production’s time and setting. “Seventy years later, women have established themselves as the dominant power in the post-technological world following the failure of male leadership, while men have become the ‘weaker sex.’
” This 400-year-old political drama, based on true events from Roman history deals with political topics that are timely and, significant to audiences today. Carey explains, “The play deals with the consequences of authoritarianism and idealism in the political sphere. At a time when populism, authoritarianism, and the idealisms of left and right are threatening the basic tenets of democracy, it feels right to be mounting a production of Julius Caesar.”
A post-performance discussion about power and dominance of women on the theatre stage will be held on Friday, November 2, immediately following the evening 7:30 p.m. performance. Adjunct Assistant Professor of Theatre and of Gender Studies, Lynn Deboeck will be leading the discussion with production dramaturg, Alia Richards where audiences are invited to engage in the conversation.
Julius Caesar at a glance:
Dates and Times: Previews Oct. 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. The show runs Oct. 26-28 and Nov. 1-4 at 7:30 p.m. with matinees on Nov. 3 and 4 at 2:00 p.m.
Post-Performance Discussions: Nov. 2 immediately following the evening 7:30 p.m. performance.
Location: Studio 115 in the Performing Arts Building, 240 S. 1500 East. Parking is available in the visitor's lot to the south of the theatre, at Rice-Eccles Stadium or on Presidents Circle.
Tickets: General Admission tickets are $18, University of Utah faculty and staff are $15, University of Utah students are free with UCard and all other students with valid student ID are $8.50. Tickets can be obtained by calling 801-581-7100, online at tickets.utah.edu/events/julius-caesar/ or at the Performing Arts Box Office, located at Kingsbury Hall.