We’ve kicked off The Play’s the Thing with our First Folio investigation of Shakespeare’s King Lear!
The great joy of these programs is that we get to:
- spend SO much time diving deep on a scene and characters
- bring together lifelong professionals with newer/younger actors
- cast roles while being totally open to race, gender, and age
I’m over the moon that Randall Duk Kim and Annie Occhiogrosso are leading this session in The Rehearsal Room; it is such a joy to witness the passion and curiosity they have for this material!
We are thrilled to welcome back so many wonderful professionals, including Alberto, Elizabeth, Jamie and Lizzie!
Want to be part of the fun?
Weekly sessions continue every Tuesday and run for 4 weeks (April 5-26), culminating in an open presentation to the public. But don’t wait for that! Sit in to learn and observe ALL the work and discoveries along the way as part of the audience for only $45! Attend the sessions live or watch the replays!
Creative Team
- DIRECTORS/LEADERS: Randall Duk Kim and Annie Occhiogrosso
Cast for Act 1, Scene 1
- LEAR: Randall Duk Kim
- GLOUCESTER: Alberto Isaac
- GONERIL: Elizabeth Dennehy
- REGAN: Lizzie King-Hall
- CORDELIA: Liz Kent
- FRANCE: James Newcomb
- KENT: Trieu Tran
- BURGUNDY: Nick Bettens
Bio’s
Annie Occhiogrosso (DIRECTOR) has worked as a director, dramaturg, acting coach and actress. She was co-artistic director of the American Players Theatre and received national attention for her body of work there, directing 16 Shakespearean plays along with works by Moliere, Ibsen, Plautus, and Chekhov. She has performed the roles of “The Nurse” in Romeo and Juliet, “Gertrude” in Hamlet, “Natalya” in The Proposal, “Madame Arkadina” in The Seagull, “Jocasta” in Oedipus Rex and “Anna Petrovna” in Ivanov. Annie has taught at the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting and at the New York Shakespeare Festival.
Randall Duk Kim (DIRECTOR/LEAR) is an Obie-winning actor who has been working professionally for 50+ years, playing dozens of leading roles in everything from Shakespeare to Moliere to Chekhov to the Greeks—acting at major theatres all around the world, from Honolulu to Vermont to Singapore! He has also amassed an impressive amount of notable film and TV credits over the last 25 years, including as the “Keymaker” in The Matrix, “Master Oogway” in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, and as the “Doctor” in the John Wick films.
Alberto Isaac (GLOUCESTER) is a veteran award-winning actor/director based in Los Angeles. After receiving a Master’s Degree in Drama from California State University, L.A. (where he won acting and directing awards), he became associated with the renowned Asian American theatre company, East West Players, appearing in, and directing many of their productions, as well as functioning, for several years, as literary manager.
Elizabeth Dennehy (GONERIL) has been acting for 30+ years, across theatre, tv, and film. She has worked with the Antaeus Theatre Company, Independent Shakespeare Co, South Coast Rep, San Diego Rep and at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Shakespeare & Co with Tina Packer and Kristin Linklater, The New York Shakespeare Festival with Kevin Kline, the Kennedy Center, The McCarter Theatre, and is an original creator and cast member of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding. She has over 50 film/tv credits including Hancock, Gattaca, Masters of Sex, The Mentalist, Charmed, Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, and Star Trek the Next Generation. She has also worked as a dialogue coach on tv shows The Middle, the Goldbergs and Carol’s Second Act.
Lizzie King-Hall (REGAN) born and bred in Kansas City, MO (favorite barbecue: Gates), Lizzie is a New-York based actor and voice coach. She’s a proud graduate of the Brown/Trinity MFA program, Actors’ Equity Member, Royals and Jayhawks fan, dialect nerd, and political activist.
Liz Kent (CORDELIA) is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received a B.A. in Dramatic Art and a B.M. in Vocal Performance. She currently lives in North Jersey, where she acts in regional productions with McCarter Theatre Center and Centenary Stage Company, serves as a representative and artist for BookTix, and teaches music lessons and workshops across the country.
James Newcomb (FRANCE) has performed in over 60 Shakespeare plays and 75 other productions. He was a founding company member of Shakespeare & Company where he lived and helped to restore Edith Wharton’s estate The Mount in Lenox Ma. As an inaugural company member of ‘The Denver Center Theatre Company’ he remained for 7 seasons. At the Oregon Shakespeare Festival he worked for 14 seasons. He received a Denver Critics Award for ‘Orphans’ at the Denver Center Theatre Company, a Drama Log Award for his performance of ‘Touchstone’ in ‘As You Like It’ at Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and The Oxford Society Award for Artistic Excellence for his performance of ‘Richard The Third’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Trieu Tran (KENT) was born in Vietnam, immigrated to Canada and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He has appeared in numerous theatrical productions through the years. Notably, the role of Alan Strang in Equus (LADCC Nomination) with George Takei @ EWP, the title role in Oedipus The King (Portland), The Legacy Codes (Dean Goodman Award) with TheatreWorks. Other favorites include: Rashomon, As You Like It, Merchant of Venice, Henry IV Part One (Hotspur), and the title role in Richard III. Currently a series regular on Netflix’s Altered Carbon portraying the role of the fixer Mister Leung.
Nick Bettens (BURGUNDY) is an actor, social media expert, and a graduate of Centenary University.
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