2021-2022 U.S. National Tour

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Shakespeare's Macbeth

A powerful commentary on unchecked ambition and power, Macbeth, is one of Shakespeare’s most influential contributions to world literature. The play, read by millions each year, offers timeless lessons about motivation and human nature.

On a deserted moor shrouded in mist, a warrior returning from the battlefield is met by three old women who deliver a chilling prophecy – that one day he will be crowned King of all Scotland. So begins one of Shakespeare’s most exciting plays, The Tragedy of Macbeth – a thrilling tale of ruthless ambition, deadly deceptions, intense paranoia, and ultimately, insanity. This is a world where “fair is foul and foul is fair.”

The National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest presents Shakespeare in American Communities. Aquila Theatre is one of 40 professional theater companies across the nation selected to perform a Shakespeare play with a professional team of actors for middle- and high-schools and conduct related educational activities for students.

Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is a startling portrayal of  prejudice and bigotry in 1920s American society. Written in 1924 and originally titled, Under the Red White and Blue, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timely story examines a culture as he sees it, where success is defined by wealth, obsession masquerades as love, and prejudice is used as a weapon to bolster one’s fragile sense of self. 

The story centers around a “self-made” Jay Gatsby, a man from a working-class background, who had previously fallen in love with the wealthy and beautiful, Daisy Buchanan. After returning from his military service he finds that Daisy had married blue-blood, Tom Buchanan. Gatsby, determined to win her back, does whatever it takes to reinvent himself into the man he thinks Daisy will want. 

Aquila Theatre’s Desiree Sanchez has written a new theatrical adaptation that draws from a more inclusive portrayal of characters and pays homage to some of the true innovators of the Jazz movement that is threaded though this story. With its clever and impactful designs, superb actors and insightful direction, Aquila’s production of The Great Gatsby is sure to be the must see show of the season. 

The New Yorker has raved that Aquila Theatre productions are “Beautifully spoken, dramatically revealing and crystalline in effect,” and The New York Theatre Guide states of Ms. Sanchez’s more recent productions: “Desiree Sanchez has masterfully crafted yet another piece of theatrical genius. Her direction is polished and laser sharp. She gets the maximum amount of potential out of every stage moment, has exceptional attention to detail, and is a demiurge of direction.”

Warrior Chorus: American Democracy

The Warrior Chorus is a national initiative that trains military veterans to present innovative public programs based on ancient literature, presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities. It will create national discussions around democracy, led by the people who fight for it. Staged readings, workshops and a series of discussions around the meaning and future of democracy will tour in tandem with this year's Aquila Theatre Company 2022 Season. Aquila Theatre will run staged readings of “Antigone” with a public discussion, and Unity Workshops during post- and pre-show discussions in conjunction with the U.S. National Tour of “The Great Gatsby” and “Macbeth”.

These performances and affiliated workshops and readings are a part of Aquila Theatre's "Warrior Chorus: American Democracy" program made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy Demands Wisdom.

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Full Calendar and Ticket Links can be viewed HERE: Tour Calendar

Columbus, GA - 1/11/22 - 1/15/22
Sanibel, FL - 1/19/22
West Palm Beach, FL - 1/21/22 - 1/24/22
Newberry, SC - 1/27/22
Greenville, SC - 1/30/22 - 2/1/22
Maryville, TN - 2/3/22
Asheville, NC - 2/4/22 - 2/7/22
San Francisco, CA - 2/9/22 - 2/11/22
New Braunfels, TX - 2/15/22
Orange, TX - 2/17/22
Alexandra, LA - 2/18/22
Baton Rouge, LA - 2/20/22 - 2/22/22
Starkville, MS - 2/23/22
Greenville, KY - 2/24/22 - 2/25/22
Springfield, OH - 3/1/22
West Lafayette, IN - 3/2/22 - 3/3/22
Marysville, KS - 3/6/22 - 3/7/22
La Crosse, WI - 3/10/22
Detroit Lakes, MN - 3/12/22 - 3/13/22
Albuquerque, NM - 3/19/22 - 3/20/22
Lander, WY - 3/22/22
Pinedale, WY - 3/23/22
Idaho Falls, ID - 3/24/22
Yakima, WA - 3/26/22 - 3/28/22
Billings, MT - 3/31/22 - 4/1/22
New Brunswick, NJ - 4/5/22 - 4/6/22
Norfolk, VA - 4/7/22 - 4/8/22
Williamsport, PA - 4/11/22
Selinsgrove, PA - 4/12/22

Conner Keef (Macbeth: Banquo/The Great Gatsby: Nick Carraway) is delighted to be touring with Aquila. Conner is a Brooklyn-based, Kentucky-born actor. They studied as an apprentice at Williamstown Theatre Festival (‘18) and The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (‘19) before receiving their BFA in Acting from Western Kentucky University (‘19). Conner is a member of The Makers Ensemble. New York: Marlowe’s Faustus (Faustus), Romeo and Juliet (Tybalt). Regional: Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Septime)

James Lavender (Macbeth: Macbeth/The Great Gatsby: George B. Wilson) Theatre credits:  As You Like It, An Enemy Of The People, Hamlet, The Tempest, Sense & Sensibility (Aquila Theatre); The War of The Worlds (dotdotdot); Sleeping Beauty, (Rhodes Arts Complex); Loves Labours Lost, Twelfth Night, Comedy Of Errors, The Importance Of Being Earnest (Oxford Shakespeare Company); Henry V (Antic Disposition); Peter Pan, Cinderella, Jack & The Beanstalk (Sheringham Little Theatre);  Much Ado About Nothing (Lord Chamberlain's Men); Philoctetes (BAM New York); Macbeth (Gym at Judson Theatre, New York); Adventures in Wonderland, Supermarket Shakespeare (Teatro Vivo); Aladdin (Hazlitt Theatre); The Taming of The Shrew, As You Like It (Groundlings Theatre); Jack and the Beanstalk (Millfield Theatre); Headlines (BAC); Sleeping Beauty (Georgian Theatre Royal); The Jungle Book (Birmingham Stage Company); The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Greenwich Playhouse); Plebians Rehearse the Uprising (Arcola Theatre). James trained at Rose Bruford.

Austin Lewis (Macbeth: Macduff/The Great Gatsby: Tom Buchanan) is an Actor/Singer/Musician from Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Austin received his Undergraduate in Music Education from the University of Northwestern St. Paul and his Masters in Music from Oklahoma City University.  Some of Austin’s credits include Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Jesus in Godspell, Demetrius and Lysander in Midsummer Night’s Dream, Raoul in Phantom of the Opera, Frederick in A Little Night Music, Bert in Mary Poppins, Hotspur in Henry IV, Josh in IF/Then, Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, and much more.  Austin has been blessed to learn and grow through the guidance of many teachers, professors, directors, friends, and family.  James 1:17. @aklewis_tc

Joshua Liburd (Macbeth: Malcolm/The Great Gatsby: Jay Gatsby) is very grateful to be making his American debut theatre performance. He has appeared in numerous West End shows in London from The Book of Mormon to The Scottsboro Boys and Motown. He’s starred as CC White in Dreamgirls in the West End and most recently played the role of Dr. Faustus in the play Dr. Faustus.

Palmyra Mattner (Macbeth: Rosse/The Great Gatsby: Daisy Buchanan) is a classically trained actor and graduate of the conservatory program at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City. This will mark her second national tour with Aquila, having previously appeared in leading roles in their productions of Much Ado About Nothing & Murder On The Nile (2016-17). Palmyra’s other theatre credits include: The Resolute (Hiddenwell Theatre); Strings (Access Theatre); Can’t You Tell (Little Flame Theatre) & Twelfth Night*Postponed due to COVID-19 (Katonah Classic Stage). In addition to theatre, she has worked professionally in voice-over, commercial, film and new media. Palmyra is also a keen participant in community outreach, which include The Stella Adler Studio’s programs at Rikers Island & The Phoenix House in New York, as well as performing alongside veterans as part of Aquila Theatre’s The Warrior Chorus (most recently The Odyssey at B.A.M Fisher’s, NYC). Palmyra is delighted to be back on the road with Aquila. To view more of her work, please visit palmyramattner.com.

Skye Pagon (Macbeth: Lady Macduff/The Great Gatsby: Myrtle Wilson) is a New York based actor, writer, and theatre maker. She received her BFA from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied the Meisner Technique, Commedia dell’arte, and at the Classical Studio. Recent credits include a national tour with consent education company Speak About It; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Julius Caesar, The Lover Doctor, and Overruled (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey); a woman-led educational tour of Julius Caesar (Stages on the Sound); and the world premiere of The Rebound (Tada! Youth Theater). She is a member of Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre, and a Philly gal at heart. www.skyepagon.com

James Counihan (Understudy) is a New York City based artist originally from Pittsburgh, PA. He has recently worked with City Theatre, Ithaca Shakespeare Company, and Columbia University’s Graduate Theatre Department. James wants to thank his family and friends for their constant support and is thrilled to be making his National Tour Debut with Aquila Theatre!

Katie Housley (Understudy) is a Canadian stage and screen actress currently based in New York. Selected theatre credits include Twelfth Night with Toronto’s Classical Theatre Project, the U.S. National Tour of Encore!, and the world premiere of her play Midnight on a Monday at the Midtown International Theatre Festival. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto and of the conservatory at Stella Adler.

Elizabeth Belfast (Understudy) is elated to be joining the Aquila Theatre Company and would like to thank Desiree for allowing this to be her first professional theatre credit. She began her BFA in Acting at Texas State University and has since transferred to the Los Angeles Film School to pursue her Bachelor’s in Screenwriting. Recent credits include In Arabia We’d All Be Kings (Daisy), LoveWave 2000 (Gina), Stupid F*cking Bird (Mash), and Romeo and Juliet (Juliet). She would like to thank her parents Tracey and Brennon Belfast for always trusting her to follow her dreams, her partner Tanner for his unwavering love and support, and Bob Adams and Jake Dogias for giving her the confidence to pursue acting and being the greatest teachers an actor could ever wish for.

Daniel Crenshaw (Understudy) is from Los Angeles, CA., where he attended CSULA and received his B.A. in TV/Film. In 2018, he moved to New York City and graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2020.

Desiree Sanchez, Adaptation & Direction, has been Aquila’s artistic director since 2012. This season she will be directing both her new adaptation of The Great Gatsby and Macbeth. Past productions she has directed include Nineteen Eighty-Four and The Odyssey (2019); A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Frankenstein(2018); Hamlet and Sense and Sensibility (2017); Much Ado About Nothing and Our Trojan War (2016); Romeo and Juliet, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Philoctetes (2015); The Tempest and Wuthering Heights (2014); A Female Philoctetes at BAM Fisher's Hillman Studio (2014); Twelfth Night and Fahrenheit 451 (2013); The Taming of the Shrew and Cyrano de Bergerac (2012); Herakles (2012) at the Festival of the Aegean in Syros, Greece and at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation in Athens and at BAM in 2013; Macbeth and The Importance of Being Earnest (2011); and Six Characters in Search of an Author (2010). Desiree wrote the stage adaptations for Frankenstein, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and Wuthering Heights for the Aquila Theatre and choreographed for: A Very Naughty Greek Play, based on Aristophanes' Wasps (2004); Julius Caesar (2006), Catch-22 (2007); The Iliad: Book One and The Comedy of Errors (2008). Desiree had a twenty-year career in dance which included working as a principal dancer for the Metropolitan Opera Ballet.

Stevie Mackie, Creative Director & Lighting & Scenic Designer was born in Scotland, and early in his career he discovered the playground that is “theatre”, and after a long and notable spell working Worldwide with West-End and Broadway shows such as'Tap Dogs', and 'Kat and the Kings' as well as a 12 month arena tour with Sarah Brightman in the USA. He jumped off the tour bus to join Birmingham Royal Ballet as Deputy Head of Lighting, working on many notable new works such as 'Carmina Burana' and 'Arthur Part 1 & 2',as well as a full repertoire of classical ballet performing all around the world.His lighting design credits include'Carnival of the Animals', 'Concerto for Two', 'Lately Undone', 'Present Fears' and 'Unfinished Sympathy'(BirminghamRoyal Ballet). Recent credits include ‘Frankenstein’ and 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream'(Aquila Theatre);'Sleeping Beauty'(UK Productions);'The Tiger Who Came To Tea'(Nick Brooke Ltd); 'Aladdin' (UK Productions);'Swan Lake'(English National Ballet, UK tour);'Guys and Dolls'(Kilworth House); 'Sleeping Beauty'(English National Ballet, US tour) and UK Tour of'Boxes'(Purple Theatre/Nottingham Playhouse). '1984' and 'The Odyssey'(Aquila Theatre). Stevie is pleased to return to the US to create designs for'The Great Gatsby' and 'Macbeth'.

Alex Duncker, (Production Stage Manager/Properties Coordinator) Hailing from beautiful Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Alex began her love affair with the performing arts at her local western dinner theatre. After progressing from showgirl to stage manager, she ventured east to pursue a Theatre degree from the University of Vermont. Since moving to New York in 2016, Alex has dabbled in film, managed several inventive new works (Meshahnye, Late Night at the Serpent, Codependent, Cartography), and produced a pop-up theatre (Destiny Manifests) in a storefront downtown that presented Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love alongside original poetry, dance, live music, visual and performance art. Now, Alex is elated to be back on the road for her third tour with Aquila to continue her career of working with women-led artistic endeavors.

Michael Castelbanco, Company Manager, has been working with Aquila Theatre Company since 2014. Starting with a role in “A Female Philoctetes,” he has also been involved with Aquila’s “Warrior Chorus” as a contributing member and facilitator. Michael assisted with the 2015-2016 tour and was honored to join Aquila for performances in both London and Athens in 2016. Additionally, he has collaborated with Aquila Theatre in several events with Society of Artistic Veterans, where he serves as Executive Director. Born in the United States but into a military family, Michael has lived and worked in many countries and cities around the world and served in the United States Marine Corps from 2003 to 2011, serving as a Korean Linguist and Intelligence Analyst. Believing that life is an adventure, Michael has worn multiple hats since leaving military service, including in Emergency Management, Accessibility, as a Flight Attendant, Barber Stylist and Hospitality Sales Manager. Michael has always been a lover of and participant in the arts as a musician, vocalist and actor, with a tenor voice and focus on keyboards/piano. His favorite role to date was playing Georg in Dominion Stage’s “Spring Awakening” in 2012. He is an avid runner and addicted to chocolate! Michael holds an Associates in Korean Language and Culture (DLIFLC), a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies (UMUC), and a Master of Urban Planning (NYU).

Lianne Arnold, Projections Designer, is a video & scenic designer and inter-disciplinary artist working in theater, opera, music, dance, film, & art installation. For Aquila: 1984, Hamlet, Sense and Sensibility. Other recent performance & film projects include Lil Buck & Jon Boogz’ Love Heals All Wounds (projections / CAP UCLA & MOVE on Netflix), Prospect Theater Co.’s VISION Series & The Hello Girls (scenic & projections), HBO's The Lady and the Dale (animations), Jazz Singer (projections / Abrons Artspace), Oscar at the Crown (projections / 3 Dollar Bill), Words on the Street (co-creator & projections / Baruch), Joseph Keckler’s Let Me Die (projections / Opera Philadelphia/FringeArts) and Joseph Keckler’s Train With No Midnight (projections / Prototype Festival/HERE). When the Covid-19 shutdown happened in March 2020, Lianne was working as the associate projection designer on The Lehman Trilogy on Broadway. Lianne teaches Video Design/Creative Technologies at The New School and is a member of Wingspace Design Collective. MFA from CalArts. www.liannearnold.com

Andromeda Turre (Music Curator) is the founder of Growing Up Jazz, an educational program which teaches early U.S. History through the lens of Jazz. The daughter of Jazz musicians Steve Turre and Akua Dixon, she learned the history and the music of Jazz from some of its greatest contributors like Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie. After studying Theater at The Boston Conservatory and Vocal Jazz at Berklee College of Music, she got her first professional job singing background vocals for Ray Charles. Andromeda has since worked as a solo artist in over 17 countries and has released various albums and singles to date. As a composer, her works have been used in film. television, video games and theater, including composing the score and original songs for Lena: A Moment with a Lady - a musical about the life of Lena Horne. www.AndromedaTurre.com www.GrowingUpJazz.com @andromedaturre 

Deanna Berg Maclean (Costume Designer) Deanna has designed costumes for: John Jasperse’s Truth, Revised Histories, Wishful Thinking, and Flat Out Lies, Dresden premiere; Alexei Ratmasky’s Valse Fantasie, a solo for Mikhail Baryshnikov: TRIO Concert Dance for Alessandra Ferri & Herman Cornejo (Royal Opera House), and Sarah Michelson’s evening length Dogs at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Deanna created the costumes for Desiree Sanchez’s The Tempest, and Desiree’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights — and is delighted to be back designing for Aquila’s band of marvelous thespians. Deanna’s work in ballet and modern dance has appeared on the stage of Jacob’s Pillow, Sadler’s Wells, Walker Arts Center, Edinburgh Festival, Festspielhaus Hellerau, Romaeuropa Festival & The Venice Biennalle. Macbeth was the first show she ever sketched in Costume Design 1 at Pomona College! Deanna’s son Lachlan Maclean joins Aquila as Costume Intern for these two big shows!

Intuitive, Production Management, is a New York based theatrical production firm specializing in Off-Broadway, Opera, and Live Events. Founded by Robert Signom III and Scott H. Schneider, its mission is to bring superior production values and personalized support to each performance.   www.intuitiveprodmgmt.com

Robert Signom  III: (Production Manager- Intuitive Production Management) has been working in production for over nineteen years.  As Production Manager, he has worked for Opera Naples, The American Opera Project, Jaleo, Tri-Cities Opera, Signature Theatre, Gotham Chamber Opera, Aspen Opera Theatre Center, Ensemble Studio Theatre, HERE Arts Center, and NJPAC, and many others. As Stage Manager, he has called over fifty productions in New York, many regional operas and Off-Broadway tours. Rob is the Curator of The Citizens Motorcar Company, America’s Packard Museum.  He is an Eagle Scout, a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and a huge fan of sushi and upbeat jazz.  

Rick Sordelet (Fight Director and Intimacy Coach), Rick and his son, Christian Kelly-Sordelet, are the creators of Sordelet, Inc., an exciting new Stage Combat company bringing over 30 years of action movement experience to the entertainment community. Rick has worked on 72 Broadway productions, including Disney’s The Lion King and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, as well as the national tours of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Les Misérables. His credits include 52 first-class productions worldwide. Opera credits include Cyrano (starring Placido Domingo) at the Metropolitan Opera, Don Carlo (directed by Nicholas Hytner) and Heart of the Soldier at San Francisco Opera, and Cold Mountain, Don Giovanni, Roméo et Juliette and La Funciulla del West at Santa Fe Opera. He has worked on films such as The Game Plan, Dan in Real Life, Brave New Jersey, and The Sounding. On television, he and his son worked as Stunt Coordinators for the hit CBS comedy series Kevin Can Wait and spent 12 years as a Stunt Coordinators for Guiding Light. He is an instructor at the Yale School of Drama and a Board member for the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Rick received the Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence at the Lucille Lortel Awards from The League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers, and a Jeff Award for Best Fight Direction for Romeo and Juliet at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He is the author of the play Buried Treasure and the co-writer of the upcoming feature film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, directed by Bryan Singer. To learn more, visit www.sordeletink.com.

Kayla Owen: (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to join The Aquila Theatre Company as their Assistant Stage Manager. Recent Credits include Associate Production Manager for SheNYC Summer Theatre Festival 2021, Production Stage Manager for confirm me (Virtual Workshop, with Playwright Heesun Hwang) Everybody and Marie Antoinette (Ithaca College), and The Shoebox (SheNYC). She thanks her family and friends for all their support along the way. 

Stina Dallons (Choreographer) has been a teaching, performing, and choreographing lindy hop, tap, and charleston for over a decade. A graduate of the New School for musical Theater, she transitioned to Lindy Hop, a creation of the Black community. Choreography credits include for the Bathtub Ginnys, Lindy Hop All Stars, YALL fest, and many wedding couples. She’s performed at Carnegie Hall, Swing 46, Midsummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center, The Apollo Theater, and at the Intrepid Air and Space museum. For more info on stina, check out christinadallons.com or You Should Be Dancing studios!

Jesse Sailer (Propertiess Designer) is currently based in Brooklyn and received her BFA from Ohio Wesleyan University with a concentration in sculpture and drawing. The last show she worked on was the immersive theater experience Tammany Hall (Soho Playhouse). She is grateful to be working with the Aquila Theater.

Coming Soon