Shakespeare Company tackles American history
Family-friendly show also spoofs current presidential election
Thursday, Sept. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Hansen Theatre
Patriots, history buffs, political junkies and comedy lovers can share laughs on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m., when The Reduced Shakespeare Company presents its farcical take on the history of America and the upcoming presidential election. The Complete History of America (abridged): Election Edition is the first in this season’s Cheryl Nelson Lossett Performing Arts Series at MSUM.
RSC is a three-man comedy troupe famous for reduced presentations of Shakespeare’s plays, great literature, the Bible, and, in the upcoming show, history and politics. The troupe was on campus several years ago for a spoof of sports that tackled everything from the earliest cavemen playing “Neanderthal in the Middle” to kid’s soccer practice.
The company began in 1981 as a pass-the-hat act in California. Since then, their itinerary has included stops at the White House, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, London’s West End, Seattle Repertory Theatre, American Repertory Theatre and Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival, as well as performances in Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Malta, Belgium, The Netherlands, Singapore and Bermuda – plus countless civic and university venues throughout the USA, Great Britain and Ireland. The company’s first three shows, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), The Complete History of America (abridged) and The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) ran for nine years at the Criterion Theatre in Piccadilly Circus. They were London’s longest-running comedies, and the RSC had more shows running in the West End than Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The Complete History of America (abridged): Election Edition, is an audience-interactive, family-friendly show for all ages, “blending slapstick, sight gags, hernia-inducing puns, and genuine verbal wit” (Boston Globe) and has been featured in both ESPN and American Theatre magazines.
While in the community, the group will also lead a workshop on auditioning. The workshop takes place the same day (Sept. 22) from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Fox Recital Hall, and is intended for high school and college theatre students. Registration is required. To register, contact Series Director Rebecca Sundet-Schoenwald at (218) 477-2178 or email her at sundetre@mnstate.edu.
To purchase tickets to the Thursday performance, go to www.mnstate.edu/perform or call the MSUM Box Office at (218) 477-2271 Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets are $28 for adults, $24 for seniors and $12 for students with student ID. MSUM students get in free with student ID. Tickets are also available at the door if still available. Hansen Theatre and Fox Recital Hall are both located in the Roland Dille Center for the Arts on the MSUM campus.