The Dreyfus University Center. (Courtesy UWSP)

UW-Stevens Point to present staged readings of ‘A Cry of Players’ across three campuses

By Patrick Lynn

CENTRAL WISCONSIN– The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Department of Theatre and Dance will present staged readings of A Cry of Players Feb. 6-9 at its Marshfield, Stevens Point, and Wausau campuses.

The play, written by American writer and essayist William Gibson, dramatizes the early life and relationships of William Shakespeare. Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, at UWSP at Wausau; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, and Saturday, Feb. 8, at UW-Stevens Point; and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Stevens Point campus and Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Marshfield campus.

Tickets are $10 and may be purchased online at tickets.uwsp.edu, by calling 715-346-4100, or at the Information and Tickets Office in the Dreyfus University Center. Tickets will also be available at each venue beginning one hour before each performance.

Little is known about Shakespeare’s early life, and his relationship with Anne Hathaway has long been a subject of discussion and speculation. Gibson imagines a witty and engaging glimpse into the young poet’s world, said Greg Pragel, the play’s director and a faculty member in the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Unlike a traditional production, a staged reading does not include a set, and actors read from scripts, including stage directions.

“Except for the players portraying Shakespeare and Anne, each of the other players will perform multiple roles, and they will not know which characters they will be reading until they arrive,” Pragel said. He noted that embracing spontaneity was an essential element of the production.