UW-Stevens Point offers staged readings of ‘A Cry of Players’ at all three campuses

A dramatization of the early life and loves of William Shakespeare will be shared by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Department of Theatre and Dance Feb. 6-9, with staged readings of the play on the Marshfield, Stevens Point and Wausau campuses.
 
“A Cry of Players,” written by American writer and essayist William Gibson, will be staged at UWSP at Wausau at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 6; at UW-Stevens Point at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7, and Saturday, Feb. 8, with matinee performances at 2 p.m. at the Stevens Point campus on Saturday, Feb. 8. and the Marshfield campus on Sunday, Feb. 9.
 
Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased online at tickets.uwsp.edu, by calling 715-346-4100 or by visiting the Information and Tickets Office in the Dreyfus University Center in Stevens Point. Tickets are also available at each venue starting one hour prior to each performance.
 
Not much is known about the life of William Shakespeare, whom some consider to be the greatest playwright and poet in the English language. With scarce information to lead him, Gibson crafts a delightfully imagined and witty look into the young life of a budding poet extraordinaire.
 
“Since very little is known about Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway’s early life together, their relationship has been the subject of much discussion and speculation by many historians and writers through the years,” said Greg Pragel, director of the play and faculty member in the Department of Theatre and Dance.
 
During a staged reading, there is no set. Actors read the play as well as the stage directions.
 
“Except for the players portraying Shakespeare and Anne, each of the other players will perform multiple roles and they will not know what characters they will be reading until they arrive,” Pragel said. He notes the theatrical nature of that and embracing the idea of “play” when performing this was one of the most important elements he wanted to share.