A Tale of Two Cities
October 30, 2009 - November 29, 2009
By Dwayne Hartford
Directed by Susan Kosoff with scenic design by Anita Fuchs, lighting design by John Malinowski, sound design by Dewey Dellay, and costume design by Lisa Simpson.
Public performances: Friday nights at 7:30, Saturday & Sunday matinees at 3:00
ASL/AD: Friday November 27 at 7:30 & Sunday November 29 at 3:00
Scheduled 10am school matinees: Wednesday 11/18, and Tuesday 11/24 (this final school matinee will be interpreted in ASL and audio-described)
Based on the book by Charles Dickens.
Set during the tumult of the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities vividly dramatizes the influence of historical and political upheaval on the individual. It follows the intertwined fortunes of a French aristocrat who rejects his family's tradition of terrorizing the lower classes; a physician whose long imprisonment has left him a symbolic hero for the oppressed; the physician's daughter who unknowingly marries a descendant of her father's tormentors; a drunken lawyer who finds meaning in life through an unrequited love; and a mob leader whose sheer rage at the degradation of the lower classes demands vengeance and is woven into her knitting. This new adaptation of the Dickens classic poses questions as pressing today as they were two centuries ago. How does one prioritize loyalty? Is violence ever justified? What are the costs to society of a citizenry divided between rich and poor? Can a single act of honor and love counteract a world filled with hatred? And, in the face of war and terror perpetrated in the name of a broader cause, what is the definition of a life well lived?
Suggested for ages 11 and up.
Interested in the Study Guide? Click HERE.
Extra! Extras! There are FREE events at every public performance!
Fridays: Teen Take Overs offer a pre-show workshop led by a WFT teaching Artist - Theatre for Social Justice.
Saturdays: Great Debates will ensue after the performance. Join the cast and crew in a discussion about the relevant themes from the narrative. Can a government that asserts its power in the form of public exhibition guarantee control of its audience reaction? Does a society of spectacle breed paranoia and a culture of secrets?
Sundays: Red Carpet offers you the opportunity to meet the cast after the show!
