The Shakespeare Theatre Company presents Women of Will: An Evening with Tina Packer, featuring leading Shakespearean actor/director/dramaturg Tina Packer in a performance that deconstructs and conjures Shakespeare’s famous female characters. This one-night-only event will play the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th Street NW) on Wednesday, April 8, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The evening will include a special post-show reception launching her new book, Women of Will: Following the Feminine in Shakespeare’s Plays.
Shakespeare’s creative knowledge and sense of a larger spiritual good come together in his late plays, making clear that when women and men are equal in status and sexual passion, they can—and do—change the world. Founder of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA, Tina Packer celebrates the release of her long-awaited book Women of Will: Following the Feminine in Shakespeare’s Plays with a special engagement at the Shakespeare Theatre Company that encompasses her more than 40 years of experience in acting and directing the Bard. The evening begins with excerpts from Packer’s performance piece, Women of Will, which explores Shakespeare’s imagination through his female characters, uncovering a theme and progression within the women’s voices. Women of Will also features actor Nigel Gore and is directed by Eric Tucker (Bedlam Theater Artistic Director).
Following the performance, Packer will sign copies of Women of Will: Following the Feminine in Shakespeare’s Plays in a post-show reception in the Lansburgh Theatre Lobby. This new book follows Shakespeare’s development from youth to enlightened maturity and charts the playwright’s evolution across the years through his increasingly empathetic and nuanced portrayal of his female characters. Women of Will: Following the Feminine in Shakespeare’s Plays is available in bookstores starting April 7, 2015.
Tickets for this special event are now on sale. To purchase tickets or learn more, patrons can call the Box Office at 202.547.122 or visit ShakespeareTheatre.org/WomenofWill.
Press inquiries for the book Women of Will: Following the Feminine in Shakespeare’s Plays can be directed to Jessica Purcell, 212.572.2082, jpurcell@penguinrandomhouse.com.
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