Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present “Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender” on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 23 and 24 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.
All tickets for this live production are FREE OF CHARGE, thanks to a generous sponsorship from the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley.
Internationally renowned actor and Shakespeare scholar Lisa Wolpe has arguably played more of the Bard’s male roles than any woman in history. From gender explorations to intergenerational trauma to the unforgettable story of her life, Lisa triumphantly illustrates that Shakespeare’s insight into the human condition is as relevant as ever.
“Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender” — a lyrical, fearless, and deeply personal one-person show — is a quest for gender equality and women’s rights. Wolpe weaves Shakespeare’s monologues with stories of her family’s traumatic past. The play talks about Holocaust experiences, suicide, drug and alcohol addiction, and sexual and physical abuse while eloquently using Shakespeare’s text to heal and create.
“Weaving monologues from her favorite male Shakespeare roles with reflections on her family history, Wolpe explores her fascination with upending gender conventions as a way to reclaim power in the face of a traumatic past.” —The New Yorker
“’Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender’ is dedicated to my father, Hans Max Joachim Wolpe, a German Jew who fought heroically against the Nazis in World War II. His family was arrested and killed at Auschwitz. He shot himself when I was four. This play is an offering to my ancestors,” said actress and playwright Lisa Wolpe.
“I’ve woven my own memories together with thoughts about my father’s life, adding fragments of some of my favorite texts from Shakespearean characters, male and female. I’m hoping to generate work that brings forth empathy, understanding and remembrance.”
The performance will conclude with a 15-minute Closing Ceremony: Conversation with Community, where audience members are invited to ask playwright/performer Lisa Wolpe about the play and engage in conversation about its themes.
Lisa Wolpe’s “Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender” will take the stage at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 24 at 1:00 p.m.
All tickets are free of charge, sponsored by the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley. For free tickets and more information, please call 928-282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona. For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.