MOSCOW -- Stained glass windows, vaulted ceilings and a massive fireplace will add to the ambiance of the Idaho Repertory Theatre’s staged reading of “The Lion in Winter” in the chapel of Meadowinds Castle Saturday, July 12 outside Moscow.
“It’s perfect for this play,” says director David Lee-Painter, University of Idaho theater professor. “It will be a real intimate experience for the audience.”
Set during Christmas 1183, “The Lion in Winter” depicts the gamesmanship between King Henry II and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, as their three sons angle for the crown. An advantage of a staged reading is that the cast can really focus on the play’s text, says Lee-Painter.
“One of the things I love about this play is it’s not a museum-like retelling of the Plantagenets. The language is modern and it’s funny, it’s really funny.”
A reception with wine and appetizers starts the event at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 12. Curtain is at 7:30. Dessert will be served at intermission. Seating is limited to 100 and people are urged to carpool because of limited parking. Tickets are $65 and must be purchased in advance at BookPeople of Moscow or through the UI theater office, (208) 885-6465.
The cast:
Joe Golden as King Henry — Golden is in his 24th season with the Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise and is the chairman of the department of theater and speech arts at the College of Idaho, Caldwell.
Nancy Lee-Painter as Eleanor of Aquitaine — Lee-Painter, David Lee-Painter’s wife, is a veteran of the IRT and teaches theater at Lewis-Clark State College.
Daniel L. Haley as Richard — A University of Idaho graduate, Haley works at Washington State University where he hires and directs actors to role-play with students studying in service fields.
Cory Williamson as Geoffery — In his second season with IRT, the UI grad is currently performing on pirate cruises on Lake Coeur d’Alene.
Nick Eastman Pratt as John — Pratt is studying acting at the UI. He’s performed in the IRT, the Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre and at Clarkston High School.
Emily Park Williams as Alais — Williams, studying performance at UI, was a finalist in February at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region VII Irene Ryan Scholarship Competition.
Kadin McGreevy as King of France, Philip II Augustus — McGreevy is a UI theater performance student. — Jennifer K. Bauer
