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Free Shakespeare on the Radio

Richard II presented by WNYC in collaboration with The Public Theatre

  • Fred Vigeant

Join us for Free Shakespeare on the Radio: Richard II presented by WNYC in collaboration with The Public Theatre on WITF Monday July 20 to Thursday July 24 at 2pm.

One of Shakespeare’s only dramas entirely in verse, Richard II is an epic, but intimate play.

When King Richard banishes his cousin Henry Bolingbroke and deprives him of his inheritance, he unwittingly creates an enemy who ultimately forces him from the throne.

Directed by Saheem Ali, Richard II is a riveting tale of lost sovereignty, political intrigue, and psychological complexity that unfolds in four parts.

Cast:

  • Host: Vinson Cunningham
  • Narrated by Lupita Nyong’o
  • Shakespeare guides: James Shapiro, Ayanna Thompson

Actors:

  • BARZIN AKHAVAN (Salisbury/Marshall)
  • SEAN CARVAJAL (Gardener’s Man/ Surrey)
  • MICHAEL BRADLEY COHEN (Bushy)
  • SANJIT DE SILVA (Mowbray/Exton)
  • BIKO EISEN-MARTIN (Fitzwater)
  • MICHAEL GASTON (Northumberland)
  • STEPHEN MCKINLEY HENDERSON (Gardener)
  • ANDRÉ HOLLAND (Richard)
  • MIRIAM A. HYMAN (Bolingbroke)
  • MERRITT JANSON (Scroop)
  • ELIJAH JONES (Hotspur)
  • DAKIN MATTHEWS (Gaunt)
  • JACOB MING-TRENT (Carlisle)
  • MARIA MUKUKA (Queen’s Lady/Servant)
  • OKWUI OKPOKWASILI (Willoughby/Abbot)
  • ESTELLE PARSONS (Duchess of York)
  • TOM PECINKA (Aumerle)
  • PHYLICIA RASHAD (Duchess of Gloucester)
  • REZA SALAZAR (Welsh Captain)
  • THOM SESMA (Ross/Keeper)
  • SATHYA SRIDHARAN (Bagot)
  • JOHN DOUGLAS THOMPSON (York)
  • CLAIRE VAN DER BOOM (Queen)
  • NATALIE WOOLAMS-TORRES (Green)
  • JA’SIAH YOUNG (Groom)

Hashtag:

#ShakespeareOnTheRadio

Read-Along:

Follow along and read the script of the radio play

THE PUBLIC is theater of, by, and for all people. Artist-driven, radically inclusive, and fundamentally democratic, The Public continues the work of its visionary founder Joe Papp as a civic institution engaging, both on-stage and off, with some of the most important ideas and social issues of today. Conceived over 60 years ago as one of the nation’s first nonprofit theaters, The Public has long operated on the principles that theater is an essential cultural force and that art and culture belong to everyone. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham, The Public’s wide breadth of programming includes an annual season of new work at its landmark home at Astor Place, Free Shakespeare in the Park at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park, the Mobile Unit touring throughout New York City’s five boroughs, Public Forum, Under the Radar, Public Studio, Public Works, Public Shakespeare Initiative, and Joe’s Pub. Since premiering HAIR in 1967, The Public continues to create the canon of American Theater and is currently represented on Broadway by the Tony Award-winning musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Girl From the North Country. Their programs and productions can also be seen regionally across the country and around the world. The Public has received 59 Tony Awards, 178 Obie Awards, 55 Drama Desk Awards, 58 Lortel Awards, 34 Outer Critic Circle Awards, 13 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, and 6 Pulitzer Prizes. publictheater.org

Richard II will replay on WITF on the weekends later this summer – time/date to be announced soon.

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