Theatreworks Colorado Springs Unites Shakespeare’s Henry IV & V into One Epic Production

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – August 27, 2024 – “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown...” Theatreworks opens its 2024-2025 season with Shakespeare’s Henry, a fast-paced new 2.5 hour cut of Henry IV Parts I and II, as well as Henry V following King Henry V’s rise to power. Directed and cut by long time Theatreworks’ collaborator Dr. Max Shulman, the story takes audiences from the throne room to the tavern, to the battlefield and back, as we face an essential question for fall 2024: how do leaders shape nations and how do nations shape leaders? 

For Shulman, this play is an epic interrogation of the steep cost of power to those who wield it, those who lose it and the nation that must choose its leaders wisely. “The play is asking: How much can a king relate to his subjects? What must a ruler sacrifice to be a ruler? Can leaders still have regular human relationships? ... [Audiences now] then get to ask of ourselves, what does it mean to be a leader, what kind of leaders do we deserve, and what kind of leaders do we create?"

Under Shulman’s direction, the production features an entirely Colorado based cast, including many faces familiar to Theatreworks audiences: Colton Pratt (Othello, The Little Prince, Taming of the Shrew) as the future Henry V, Erik Sandvold (An Iliad) as Henry IV, Logan Ernsthal (It’s A Wonderful Life: the Radio Play, You Can’t Take It With You) as Falstaff, and newcomer Nate Cushing as Hotspur. Rounding out the cast are Lily DiSilverio (Free-for-: Midsummer, Free-For-All: Tempest), Seth Lindsey, Amy Brooks (House Arrest, Loves Labours Lost, Merry Wives of Windsor), and Morgan McKay. 

The creative team includes David Castellanos (costume and scenic design), Eric Watkins (lighting design), Bryse Boynton (sound design), Samantha Egle (fight/intimacy director), Garth Mortiz (stage manager), and Skylar Campbell (assistant stage manager). 

Tickets to Shakespeare’s Henry IV & V can be purchased online at entcenterforthearts.org or by phone at 719-255-8181. Performances begin Thursday, September 19 and continue through Sunday, October 132024. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. Saturday matinee, and a 4:00 p.m. Sunday matinee. No evening performance on Saturday, October 12. UCCS students are always free, and discounts are available for educators, military, and youth tickets. 

Associated Events 

• Before the Performance
  • Designer Hang: Thursday, September 19 at 6:45-Designers from the production discuss the artistic process
  • Framing Panel: Leadership, 2:30-3:30p on Sunday, September 22, featuring Mikael Burke [director of Othello], Dr. Max Shulman [UCCS associate professor of theatre], and Caitlin Lowans [Theatreworks artistic director and director of 2023’s Taming of the Shrew] o Chit Chat in collaboration with GOCA: Thursday, September 26 from 6-7p- guests
• After the Performance
  • Community Conversations: After Saturday matinees on September 21 and 28 -Theatre staff, community leaders, and audiences discuss our shared experience of the show.
  • Actor Interchange: After the Sunday matinee on September 29- Actors from the production discuss their process with enthusiastic audience members.

Media Contact:

Elyce Gronseth
Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications
Ent Center for the Arts at UCCS
egronset@uccs.edu

About Theatreworks Colorado Springs: Founded in 1975, Theatreworks is dedicated to connecting, empowering, and delighting the community through the transformative power of live performance. Theatreworks has grown as a vibrant and inclusive space for artists and audiences alike. Visit entarts.org/theatre

About the Ent Center for the Arts: Located on the UCCS campus, the Ent Center for the Arts is a first-class facility fostering creativity and collaboration. It serves as a central space for the arts, bringing together diverse ideas and people. Visit entarts.org