MANCHESTER, NH — The Central High School Maskers Drama Club will be presenting Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar this fall with performances on Friday and Saturday November 22 and 23 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a Sunday matinee performance on November 24 at 2 p.m.
“The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” recounts the story of the infamous Roman Emperor Julius Caesar and his dramatic downfall as his own Senate turns their back on him and crafts a treacherous plan for his bloody assassination. The play takes the audience through the series of events leading up to Caesar’s brutal murder as it delves into the minds and conversations of the conspirators behind his assassination.
In the act following Caesar’s tragic death, the story reveals how the Senate members who were closest to Caesar, Brutus and Marc Antony, take opposing sides in the aftermath of the assassination leading Rome into a civil war. The play concludes with the death of many soldiers from both armies and the suicides of leading Senate members, Cassius and Brutus, as well, closing the show with a plethora of traditional Shakespearean tragic deaths.
However, under the direction of Dan Pelletier, the club has taken the traditional Shakespearean tragedy of Julius Caesar and revamped the compelling story, by transforming the setting of the show from classical Rome to a post-World War III futuristic version of the United States. Taking inspiration from other literature such as George Orwell’s 1984, Maskers have turned the traditional story into a creative masterpiece filled with new costumes, futuristic concepts, and an eerie and perfectly uncomfortable setting to keep audiences on their toes throughout the whole performance.
Leading the creative choices throughout the entire show, director, Dan Pelletier, states, “We wanted to be able to bring out the themes and ideas of the play in a way that spoke to both the students and our general audience. We also wanted to find a way to convey that these sorts of things are not just in the past, while not necessarily connecting it to current events directly. The sci-fi utopia approach allows us to achieve all these goals, have some creative casting, and stay true to the playwright’s intentions.”
Performances will be held in McAllister Hall at Manchester Central High School. Tickets are $5 for students, veterans, and senior citizens and $10 for general admission. Tickets are purchased at the door and the auditorium opens for seating half an hour before performances begin.
The Maskers Drama Club is Central High School’s oldest student-based organization, performing for the first time in 1924. Maskers presents two full productions each year, one fall play and one spring musical, as well as hosting workshops and student showcases.
For more information, contact Dan Pelletier at danpelletiertheatre@gmail.com or follow Maskers on both Facebook and Instagram @central.maskers.
Who: Manchester Central High School Maskers Drama Club
What: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
When: Nov 22-24th – Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets: At the door, $10 for general admission, $5 for students, seniors, and veterans. Cash or check only
Where: McAllister Auditorium – Central High School, 207 Lowell St. Manchester, NH
