2012 Season | The Lion In Winter | King Lear | Pericles | Read the Synopses | Family Rating System | Press Packets
Synopses of This Year's Productions
The following synopses take into account any casting choices which have been made for this year's productions.
The Lion In Winter - by James Goldman
Set during the Christmas of 1183, the play opens with the arrival of Henry II's wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, who has been imprisoned by Henry since 1173. Henry wants his youngest son Prince John to inherit the throne, while Eleanor favors their eldest son, Richard the Lionheart. Their scheming against each other to achieve these ends is exacerbated by Phillip the II of France, who has given his sister Alais (who is currently Henry's mistress) to be wife to the new heir. Henry, as a ruse, promises Alais to Richard and to make him heir, but in a side deal with Eleanor,agrees to give the throne to John in exchange for her freedom and Aquitaine. In the meantime, Geoffrey, the middle son, bitter about not being considered by either parent, turns John against Henry and manipulates him into joining forces with Phillip II and declaring war on England. Henry, discovering the plot, dismisses all three sons as unsuitable and imprisons them. He makes plans to go to Rome for an annulment to start a new life with Alais, but Eleanor reminds him that any new children he has will be constantly threatened by his living sons. Unable to execute his sons, Henry lets them all escape and sends Eleanor back to prison---just a typical Plantagenet Xmas.
King Lear - By William Shakespeare
King Lear, the aging King of Britain, decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters: Goneril, Regan, Cordelia. Goneril and Regan, at their father's request flatter their father with protestations of love. Cordelia declines to pander to him—she simply says she loves him the way a daughter should. Lear is angered by this and disinherits her. When one of his lords, Kent, tries to reason with him, Lear banishes him from the kingdom. Also introduced are Gloucester's two sons, Edgar and Edmund. Edmund is Gloucester's bastard, and intends to gain his father's inheritance by tricking him into thinking that Edgar is plotting to murder him. Edgar disguises himself as a madman and goes into hiding.
Lear finds out how much love Goneril and Regan actually have for him. Both daughters treat him miserably, and Lear is transformed from a powerful king to an impotent old man with only Kent (who has disguised himself and followed Lear in loyalty) and a Fool to accompany him. Lear is eventually driven mad by his grief at seeing the true nature of his daughters. On a lonely heath, he rages at a storm. There they encounter Edgar, in his disguise as Tom o' Bedlam. Gloucester helps them, providing shelter and sending them to Dover to meet Cordelia, who has landed an army to come to Lear's aid. For helping Lear, Gloucester is betrayed by Edmund and is blinded by Regan's husband. In his blind state, Gloucester meets Edgar. Edgar does not yet reveal himself but leads his father toward Dover. In the meantime, Albany, husband of Goneril, has voiced his displeasure at the treatment of Lear and Gloucester. With Regan becoming a widow, and Goneril seeing her husband as a coward, both women turn their attentions to Edmund. While this is going on, the English and French armies meet on the battlefield; the English win. When Lear and Cordelia are taken captive, Edmund gives an order that they be hanged. Edgar encounters Edmund, and the two duel, with Edgar emerging triumphant. Goneril poisons Regan to win Edmund, then kills herself upon Edmund's defeat. Edmund repents, but his repentance will go for naught. Lear enters, bearing Cordelia's body. Overcome by his sorrow, Lear dies beside his daughter. Kent and Edgar depart, leaving Albany to rule Britain.
Pericles - By William Shakespeare
King Antiochus has a riddle which any prince seeking the hand of his daughter has to solve, though the penalty for solving it is death, for the riddle reveals Antiochus’ incest with his daughter. Pericles of Tyre knows the answer, but talks his way out of answering, thus saving his life. Antiochus, fearing for the safety of his secret, sends his bounty hunter to kill Pericles. Pericles puts his friend Helicanus in charge of Tyre, and leaves until he can safely return.
Pericles arrives at Tarsus and brings food to the starving town. Continuing his voyage, he is shipwrecked on Pentapolis.He goes to court to enter a tournament, and as victor is given the hand of Thaisa, princess of the land. In the middle of a storm, the pregnant Thaisa gives birth to Marina. Thaisa dies, and is put overboard. Pericles then heads to Tarsus. He leaves his daughter in the care of Cleon and Dionyza, rulers of Tarsus and returns to Tyre. The box containing Thaisa washes up on the shores of Ephesus. There Cerimon revives her, and, thinking she will never see Pericles again, she becomes a nun at Diana’s temple. Marina grows up more beautiful than Cleon's daughter. Dionyza, jealous of Marina, tells a servant to murder her. As he is about to kill her, Marina is captured by pirates, who take her to Mytilene and sell her into a bawdy house. Cleon reports to Pericles that Marina has died. The bawdy house is irritated because Marina keeps converting her intended customers. The governor Lysimachus attempts to purchase her favors, but she wins his love with her virtue. Pericles and Helicanus arrive in Mytilene, and are greeted by Lysimachus. Helicanus explains how Pericles has withdrawn into himself since he heard of his daughter’s death. Marina is brought, and makes Pericles speak to her. She reveals her name, and Pericles realizes she is his daughter. That night in a dream he is visited by the goddess Diana, who tells him to go to Ephesus.When he tells his story, Cerimon reveals the temple nun to be Thaisa. Thaisa's father has died, so Pericles returns with her to Pentapolis to rule, leaving Lysimachus and Marina to rule in Tyre.
