BRATTLEBORO — Vermont Theatre Company's upcoming performances of William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, directed by Shannon Ward, will take place on Friday through Sunday, Aug. 5 , 6, and 7 and Aug. 12, 13, and 14, at the Hooker Dunham Theater & Gallery, 139 Main St.
“August may seem like an unusual month to produce The Winter's Tale,” Ward said in a news release. “Despite the name, this show is not necessarily set in winter. A 'winter's tale' refers to a story that might be told around a fire: a fantastical, unrealistic, or unlikely story.”
In the play, King Leontes of Sicilia suspects his wife, Hermione, to be having an affair with his friend. When the paranoid king locks up his wife and exiles his infant daughter, the ramifications of his acts are felt across years and kingdoms.
Ward, who says the production explores themes of trust, power, and forgiveness through the madness of a young king, is interested in “the characters and the questions they pose.”
“How can one convince themselves of something unthinkable, even when all evidence points to the contrary?” she asks. “How can power exacerbate one's worst impulses? How can those around a person of power enable those worst impulses? And lastly, how does one seek forgiveness, especially from oneself?”
The cast includes Kerstin Becker, Tino Benson, Nicole Caron, Patrick Caron, Cameron Cobane, Geof Dolman, Harral Hamilton, Isaiah LaPierre, Olivia McNeely, Nina Moll, Josh Platt, Katy Peterson, and Maureen Ward.
Proof of vaccination will be required for entry to the theater. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays.
Tickets - at $15 ($13 for students and seniors) - can be purchased at the door using cash, check, or card. Reservations can be made at vtcreservations@gmail.com or 802-258-1344. For more information, visit VermontTheatreCompany.org.