The 30th season of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company will perform James Baldwin's "The Amen Corner." Aside from this, it will showcase a variety of plays, including three works by Shakespeare, traditional comedies, modern interpretations, and brand-new plays.
The Amen Corner
City Beat reported that “The Amen Corner” is a powerful and intense work of contemporary American theater.
It narrates the conflicts within a church in Harlem where the pastor grapples with her difficult past after her ex-husband arrives, and their son is caught between them and the disapproving congregation.
Goodreads described “The Amen Corner” as a play that explores themes of faith and family, as well as the divisions between black men and women, fathers, and sons.
It is a profound and emotionally charged work that combines feelings of sorrow and joy, and is regarded as a remarkable achievement in modern American theater.
According to Goodreads, “The Amen Corner” is a play that could only have been written by a boy preacher who had become one of America's most celebrated writers.
Baldwin infused his early religious experiences in storefront churches with powerful rhetoric, creating a work that delves deep into the high cost of worship.
Baldwin explained that he drew upon his childhood memories of preaching to create moments of theater that would engage and transform audiences, even if they were initially resistant.
However, as an unknown black writer, he recognized that breaking into the theater world on his terms would be challenging.
Thus, he waited for the right opportunity.
According to Baldwin, the fact that it took ten years for “The Amen Corner” to receive professional production says more about the limitations of the American theater industry than the quality of his work.
Other Plays
The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's 30th season will include several productions in addition to Baldwin's "The Amen Corner."
They will also be performing Oscar Wilde's classic comedy "The Importance of Being Earnest," which has recently had a sequel produced Off-Broadway.
Additionally, they will be presenting Steven Dietz's adaptation of Patrick Hamilton's play, "Gaslight," a story about a bride whose husband manipulates her reality and intentions.
The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's 30th season will also feature the world premiere of "Wrecking Ball" by Zina Camblin.
This is a comedic play about screenwriters adapting a controversial classic play into a TV series.
The theater company will also perform three stories by Shakespeare, which are "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Julius Caesar," and "Much Ado About Nothing."
Their other productions will include "Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and Then Some!)," and "The Play That Goes Wrong."
Tickets for the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s upcoming season can be purchased now through their website or by calling the box office.
Single tickets will be available for purchase starting May 1.
Those who arrive an hour before each performance can purchase unreserved tickets for $12 through the Rush Ticket program.
The Access ticket program offers tickets for seats in the upper gallery for $14 when purchased in advance.
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