The Stone Church Players (aka SCP) is pleased to present Shakespeare’s King Lear, the fifth installment of the popular ‘Shakespeare in the Sheds’ series. The show opens Friday June 20th and will run for two weekends with performances at 7:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 pm on Sundays. Director Leslie Patient, of Highlands, is making her solo directorial debut after co-directing last year’s Twelfth Night and assistant directing 2023’s Macbeth. Her team includes Artistic Director Michael McClellan and SCP board member John Paul Durazzo as co-producers, Jesse Luciani as assistant director, John Leslie as stage manager, and Darren DeAngelo as set designer and technical director.
Continuing the tradition of presenting Shakespeare outdoors, Ms. Patient is staging the play on the grounds of the All Saints’ Memorial Church campus and re-envisioning the action against the backdrop of a playground. In her words, “Shakespeare’s unwieldy tragedy of family dysfunction is reimagined on a playground— what once was a place of innocence and imagination, now becomes a battleground for betrayal, madness, and ruin. As King Lear descends into madness, three actors portray his splintered self, reflecting the fracturing of a once-mighty, but flawed mind. Watch as Shakespeare’s words come to modern life in an exploration of what happens when we fail to teach our children compassion in a world driven by competition and cruelty.
SCP alum Jacob Turchi, newcomer Brian Smiga, and Mr. McClellan share the duties of portraying King Lear in his three “states”: Imperious King, Rejected Father, and Wise Outcast. Mr. Turchi plays Lear 1, an old king who wants to abdicate the duties of king but not the benefits of power. He was last seen in November’s staged reading of the original play “And Every Creeping Thing.” Other SCP credits include Twelfth Night, The Crucible, and Dog Sees God. Making his SCP debut, Mr. Smiga plays Lear 2, a parent who realizes because he was a monster, his children are monsters. He studied theater at Swarthmore, Haverford, and Trinity College Dublin. His past credits include A Streetcar Named Desire, The Philadelphia Story, and The Tempest. Mr. McClellan plays Lear 3, a simple elderly person who realizes too late what real devotion is. A founding member of SCP, Mr. McClellan is often found behind the scenes, either directing or producing plays, musicals, and staged readings. Most recently he directed the February staged reading of Agnes of God. King Lear marks his return to acting in an SCP mainstage production since appearing in 2014’s Jesus Christ Superstar.
King Lear’s three daughters are portrayed by Allie G. Cohen, Vivian Oliver, and Aster Fialla. Ms. Cohen plays Goneril, the king’s eldest and ruthless daughter. Ms. Cohen holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Muhlenburg College. She is a veteran actor and director who is often seen on the SCP stage. Most recently, she played the title role in the March staged reading of the original play, “Mary, Mary,” and she appeared in She Loves Me last June. Ms. Oliver plays Regan, the king’s middle daughter, who is also ruthless and violent. A soon-to-be graduate of Middletown North High School, Ms. Oliver has been an active member of its award-winning theater program. She was last seen on the SCP stage as Tootie in the December radio presentation of “Meet Me in St. Louis”. Mx. Fialla plays Cordelia, the king’s youngest and loyal daughter. This role is doubled with Lear’s jester, the only character who is able to criticize Lear without getting banished. A newcomer to both theater and SCP, Mx. Fialla is a local artist, poet, and game designer.
Rounding out the cast are Matt Gochman as Kent, Andrew Struse as Gloucester, Grace Ahlin as Edmund, Jayden Egnatovich as Edgar, Andrew Gerber as Albany, Arielle Halpern as Cornwall, Cynthia Dannen as Burgundy, and Brooke Tortorelli as France/Oswald.
Show synopsis (from Shakespeare Birthplace Trust): King Lear divides his kingdom among the two daughters who flatter him and banishes the third one who loves him. His eldest daughters both then reject him at their homes, so Lear goes mad and wanders through a storm. His banished daughter returns with an army, but they lose the battle and Lear, all his daughters and more, die.
Running time: approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes, including a 15 minute intermission. Street parking is available on Oakdale Run. You may enter the parking lot by the path next to the mailbox. A limited amount of accessible parking spots will be available in the main parking lot. Please email us at stonechurchplayersnj@gmail.com and we can reserve a parking spot for you. Restrooms are available in the Parish House and refreshments will be available for purchase on the patio. Chairs are provided and seating is first come, first served. Patrons may bring their own chairs if desired. We offer three ticket prices - $20 for adults, $15 for students, and $10 for children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at scp.booktix.com (includes a small service fee) or reserved by emailing us. Limited tickets will be available for purchase at the door (cash preferred). For more information visit our website, stonechurchplayers.org.
