By Mike Greife,
February 20, 2017
WARRENSBURG - The Acting Company, a New York professional touring ensemble, will bring
two performances to the University of Central Missouri’s James L. Highlander Theatre
stage Feb. 24-25. The group will present William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar on Feb.
24, and a new play, X: or Betty Shabaz vs. The Nation, on Feb. 25. Curtain time for
both performances is 7:30 p.m.
The Acting Company
The UCM performances by The Acting Company are sponsored by the Department of Theatre
and Dance; the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; and the Performing
Arts Series.
The Acting Company is appearing at UCM as the result of the Department of Theatre
and Dance participation in The Acting Company’s Midwest Theatre Consortium, a three-year
collaboration with the Division I schools University of Missouri-Columbia, University
of Missouri-Kansas City, and the University of Kansas. The Acting Company not only
receives its acclaim from legendary producer, director and actor John Houseman, one
of the original founders, but also from distinguished alumni like Kevin Kline, Patti
LuPone and David Ogden Stiers.
Shakespeare’s play provides the framework in which these plays draw parallels between
two historical figures, Julius Caesar and Malcolm X. Examining questions about the
balance of ambition, personal loyalty to friends and country, Shakespeare’s timeless
political masterpiece Julius Caesar has never been more relevant than it is today.
The assassination of Malcolm X is brought to vivid lyrical life in X. It explores
the tumultuous landscape of ideology and activism in the 1960’s.
Tickets are available from the theatre box office in Wood 128 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission is $15 for the general public, or $25 for both nights. Student admission
is $7. Seating may be reserved by contacting the box office at 660-543-8811 or online
at ucmo.edu/theatre/calendar.cfm.
