Motte & Bailey, prod. is proud to present Caesar / Americana, a musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic Julius Caesar by Hannah Fogler. Hot off the wild success of her previous musical adaptation, Hamlet / Black Parade, Fogler’s adaptation weaves Shakespeare’s text and the music of American songwriters Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash, Poor Man’s Poison, Bob Dylan, and more to create an experience of this classic drama unlike any other. Set in an alternate post-World War I Appalachia where friends are enemies, secrets are currency, and the dead are watching, Caesar / Americana combines Shakespeare’s classic, old Appalachian folklore, and boot-stomping songs for a production that will have you hootin’ in these hollers.
Directed and adapted by Hannah Fogler, Caesar / Americana is a show with roots: “My dad had a huge impact on my musical upbringing - constantly making me mix tapes and introducing me to all kinds of different music. I grew up with Springsteen, Dylan, Cash, Hank Williams, The Band, and other classic American song-writers singing me to sleep - literally. Hamlet was different; The Black Parade speaks to a part of me that I forged on my own. But Americana music speaks to my roots - my childhood, my family, and the foundation of who I am.” Starring Brad Norris as Brutus, Emily Classen as Cassius, and Carlos Del Valle as the titular tyrant, Caesar / Americana portrays the fall of Julius Caesar and the Republic of Rome in a story that seems to say: history may not always repeat itself… it certainly does rhyme.
Caesar / Americana stars Brad Norris, Emily Classen, Carlos Del Valle, Lance Bankerd, Siobhan Beckett, Amy Bell, Brad Bukowsky, Omololu Collins, Hannah Fogler, J Purnell Hargrove, Bobby Henneberg, Sharon Maguire, Jess Miller, Jessica Preactor, Julia Williams, and Vexara with Live Band support by Greg Bell and Cry Havoc.
Performances will take place at Fells Point Corner Theatre, 251 S. Ann Street, on March 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21 at 8pm, with a special additional performance at Boordy Vineyards in Hydes, MD at 6pm on The Ides of March (March 15). Tickets are $30 for general admission, and $20 for Students, Teachers, and Artists, and can be purchased online at www.motteandbailey.org
Content Advisory: Caesar / Americana depicts on-stage violence of many forms including: violence against a queer Black person, riots, assassination, and war.
This production makes use of theatrical effects including haze/fog, flashing lights, loud sounds, and very loud music.
The run-time for this production is approximately 2 and a half hours including one 15-minute intermission.