King Lear
By William Shakespeare
“See better, Lear, and let me still remain the true blank of thine eye.”

Natasha Solomon and Kelley Van Dilla in King Lear Summer 2009
Natasha Solomon and Kelley Van Dilla in King Lear Summer 2009
For many reasons, I keep returning to Kent’s words to his king in
an attempt to understand this monster of a play. They were the first
cited by the wisest man I know when he discovered I’d be directing King Lear.
And I may have chosen selfishly, since a director’s most important job
is to watch and critique a production from the outside when her actors
on stage cannot. In addition to my own fascination with the lines, the
goal of “seeing better” captures this entire production perfectly. This
company has spent months debating the actions of the characters you’ll
be watching–who acts nobly? Despicably? Where do we find morals and
justice in this world? We have few answers to these questions. The time
we have spent asking, though, makes more apparent that which is not
just and that which we cannot fit easily into categories of good and
evil. We have learned to look head-on at the things we may prefer to
ignore. Our project is not an exercise in morality or academia. We pass
no judgments and make no claims. Instead, we choose to tell a story,
one filled with characters who, both literally and figuratively, cannot
see. Alluring memories of the past blind some and the future’s
glittering promises make others far-sighted. All gloss over moments of
their present. The actors depicting these people must compensate for
their mistakes by becoming more conscious of those things their
characters miss. No one will ever see the world of Lear in quite the
same way as these twelve actors. Their opened eyes have made a
400-year-old play breathe and come alive. During the performance today,
we hope to share with you the things we have seen and the unique
journey we have made.
To see better requires the Kents of the world, those whose
commitment to uncompromising reality challenges and inspires the people
fortunate enough to be around them. Working on this production has made
me even more grateful to “the true blanks” of my eye who push me to ask
difficult questions, to face even more difficult truths and yet never
allow me to forget how beautiful this flawed world really is. This
show, or at least my small part of it, is for them.
- Katie Logan, Director
Video of the cast singing the opening song from our production of King Lear
Cast and Crew of King Lear
Cast:
Kent: Caroline Brent
Beggar/Ensemble: Joan Cummins
Albany/Servant 2: Mark Guthrie
Albany/Servant 2: Mark Guthrie
Goneril: Lee Havlicek
Gloucester: Matthew Minnicino
Gloucester: Matthew Minnicino
Oswald/Burgundy: Amalia Oswald
Edmund/Soldier: Julia Sears
Edmund/Soldier: Julia Sears
Regan/Knight 1: Samantha Sheahan
King Lear: Natasha Solomon
Cordelia/Knight 4/Servant 1/Old Man: Rebecca Speas
Cornwall/Knight 2/Doctor: Mark Tucker
Edgar: Kelley Van Dilla
Fool/France/Herald/Captain: Nico Zevallos
Crew:
Director: Katie Logan
Assistant Director: Quill Nebeker-Monch
Stage Manager: Allison Miller
Assistant Stage Manager: Olivia Meyers
Assistant Stage Manager: Maria Raffaele
Costume Designer: MaryLynne Smith
Set Designer: Andrew Derbyshire
Lighting Designer: Michael Gibbs
Dramaturg: Joan Cummins
Fight Choreographer: Julia Sears
House Manager: Mollie Welborn
Production Assistant: Micheal Van Ness
Assistant Director: Quill Nebeker-Monch
Stage Manager: Allison Miller
Assistant Stage Manager: Olivia Meyers
Assistant Stage Manager: Maria Raffaele
Costume Designer: MaryLynne Smith
Set Designer: Andrew Derbyshire
Lighting Designer: Michael Gibbs
Dramaturg: Joan Cummins
Fight Choreographer: Julia Sears
House Manager: Mollie Welborn
Production Assistant: Micheal Van Ness