MADISON , NJ — Measure for Measure , Shakespeare's compelling tale of corruption and morality, continues The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's 45 th Season with performances beginning July 10 and continuing through July 29. Jack Wetherall, a Stratford Festival of Canada company member under Artistic Director Robin Phillips, directs this bold and provocative play that hasn't been seen at The Shakespeare Theatre in nearly a decade. Performances are Tuesday through Sundays at The Shakespeare Theatre's Main Stage – the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre in Madison . Regular ticket prices are $28-$52. Discount ticket packages are also available. For tickets or more information, call 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.

Shakespeare's fascinating story presents a society in the midst of moral self-examination—a society desperately in need of finding a sound balance point between inhumane repression and rampant licentiousness. Although written more than 400 years ago, the play continues to resonate and astound modern audiences with it relevance to our own world. Director Wetherall has conceived this production to take place in the post-Civil War American West – a time when territories struggled to enforce order and impose justice on a developing society. “Without tampering with the text, we are going to make this a profoundly American Measure for Measure ,” said director Jack Wetherall.

About the Cast

David Manis returns to The Shakespeare Theatre to play The Duke who hands the reins of leadership to Lord Angelo, disguising himself in order to observe Angelo's use (or abuse) of power. Manis most recently appeared in the much celebrated, Tony Award-winning The Coast of Utopia on Broadway. Also on Broadway he appeared in Henry IV with Kevin Kline, and Morning's at Seven . Shakespeare Theatre audiences will remember him as the Duke of York in The Shakespeare Theatre's Richard II .

Making his Shakespeare Theatre debut is Michael Milligan as the cruel and hypocritical Angelo. Milligan is the recipient of Julliard School 's Houseman Prize and has appeared in Shakespeare roles at theatres throughout the country including The Shakespeare Theatre of D.C., Alabama Shakespeare and the Utah Shakespearean Festival.

January LaVoy plays the chaste Isabella who is faced with the choice of saving her brother's life or betraying her religious beliefs. LaVoy, making her Shakespeare Theatre debut, most recently appeared off-Broadway in the award-winning Two Trains Running at Signature Theatre. Television audiences will recognize her from recurring roles on Law & Order .

Mistress Overdone, the bawdy mistress of the brothel, is played by Elizabeth Shepherd . Shepherd returns to the Shakespeare Theatre for her fourth season where she was last seen in Pride and Prejudice . She has also appeared both on London 's West End and on Broadway, and has made more than 500 television appearances including the Emmy-nominated The Winter's Tale on PBS. Shepherd will portray Margaret Thatcher in the upcoming Shades of Black .

Claudio, who is condemned to death by Angelo, is played by newcomer Stephen Tyrone Williams . Williams has appeared off-Broadway in The Jocker and The Laramie Project .

The 17 member cast also includes Jeffrey Guyton, Rob Krakovski, Wayne Meledandri, Kristie Dale Sanders, and Raphael Nash Thompson as well as Raniah Al-Sayed, Dan Housek, Roderick Lapid, David McDonald, Christopher McFarland, Scott McIntosh, Jake O'Conner and Jo Williamson.

Performances of Measure for Measure begin July 10 and continue through July 29 at The Shakespeare Theatre's Main Stage – The F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue (at Lancaster Road ) in Madison . For tickets or more information, call 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org

Also in July

In addition to Measure for Measure on the Main Stage, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's Outdoor Stage production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream continues performances through July 22. The most famous comedy of all time performs at the Greek Theatre on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth 's in Convent Station, just minutes from Madison . For tickets or more information, call 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.

Special Performances

The first public performance of Measure for Measure on Tuesday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m. offers opportunities for reduced-price or free tickets as in incentive to first-time theatergoers, as well as for those who would otherwise not be able to afford a night at the theatre. As always, the first preview performance is Pay What You Wish night. Visit The Shakespeare Theatre Box Office between noon and 7:00 p.m. on July 10 and name your own admission price for that evening's 7:30 preview performance (regularly $28 to $32, offer subject to availability).

For no more than the cost of a regular ticket, Symposium Series performances include the additional treat of a post-play discussion with the cast and artistic staff, on Tuesday, July 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 21 at 2:00 p.m.

On Thursday, July 19, The Shakespeare Theatre presents the popular education program Know the Show . From 7:00 to 7:30 p.m., a member of the artistic staff of The Theatre will present a pre-performance talk that provides background information and an insider's perspective on Measure for Measure

General admission to Know The Show is $5 for the general public, $4 for ticket package holders. Tickets to that evening's 8:00 p.m. performance may be purchased separately for $41 or $45.

About the Director

In addition to his work with The Stratford Festival of Canada, Wetherall also appeared on Broadway in title role in The Elephant Man . At the Stratford Festival he starred in As You Like It and The Seagull opposite Dame Maggie Smith. He also served as Stratford Festival artistic director Robin Phillips' assistant director on productions including Rome and Juliet and Jekyll and Hyde on Broadway. At The Citadel Theatre Complex, Wetherall directed Our Town . He has also appeared in theatres throughout the US and Canada including The Guthrie, Hartford Stage, The Goodman Theatre, Theatre for a New Audience, Williamstown Theatre Festival and the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Television audiences know him as Uncle Vic on the Showtime series Queer as Folk . Wetherall also starred in the film Third Man Out.

The Artistic Staff

Creating the world of the 1870s American West are Set Designer Marion Williams, Costume Designer Clint Ramos and Lighting Designer Peter West. Josiane M. Lemieux serves as Production Stage Manager.

Tickets & General Information

Preview performances of Measure for Measure are Tuesday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday and Thursday, July 11 and 12 at 8:00 p.m. Previews offer the thrill of seeing a work-in-progress before the show officially opens. Preview tickets are $28 to $32.

Additional performances are Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. (excluding Opening Night at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 14); Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m., beginning July 15; and Sundays, at 7:00 p.m.

Regular ticket prices range from $37 to $52 depending upon seating location and performance day and time. Groups of 10 or more save up to 25% off the regular ticket price.

Patrons can save up to 20 percent off regular ticket prices by purchasing discount Ticket Packages that allow ticket buyers to select six, five or four plays of their choice at discount prices. Ticket Packages also offer additional benefits such as discounts on additional tickets and flexible ticket exchange privileges. Patrons may also select FlexPasses -- discounted vouchers

that are redeemed for tickets during the season. Ticket Packages start at $96.

The 45 th Anniversary Main Stage Season also includes the absurdist comedy The Bald Soprano by Eugene Ionesco (August 7 – 26); the rarely produced, Pulitzer Prize-winning The Time of Your Life by William Saroyan (September 4 – 30); Blood & Roses: Shakespeare's Henry VI adapted by Brian B. Crowe (Oct. 9 – Nov. 11); and the family classic tale The Blue Bird by Maurice Maeterlinck; adapted by Bonnie J. Monte (Nov. 27 – December 31).

The Shakespeare Theatre once again presents Shakespeare under-the-stars at its Outdoor Stage – the Greek Theatre at the College of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station. Shakespeare's most popular comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, will run through July 22.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's Main Stage , the 308-seat F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, is conveniently located in Madison at 36 Madison Avenue (Route 124) at Lancaster Road (on the Drew University campus), just minutes from routes 287, 78 and 10. Parking is free. The Outdoor Stage is located at the Greek Theatre, 2 Convent Rd. at Convent Station – on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth . Parking is free. For more information , or to purchase tickets, call 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org .

# # #

The acclaimed Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is an independent, professional theatre company located on the Drew University campus. One of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving 100,000 adults and children annually, it is New Jersey 's only professional theatre company dedicated solely to Shakespeare's canon and other world classics. Through its distinguished productions and education programs, the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.  Additional major support is received from The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the F. M. Kirby Foundation, The Edward T. Cone Foundation, The Shubert Foundation and Drew University , as well as contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, government agencies and individuals. American Airlines is the official airline of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Crystal Rock Water is the company's official water provider. Barefoot Wine is the official wine provider. The 2007 Outdoor Stage production of A Midsummer Night's Dream is sponsored by Bank of America.

General Information

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Bonnie J. Monte

MAIN STAGE:   OUTDOOR STAGE:

F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre   The Greek Theatre

36 Madison Ave. (at Lancaster Rd. )   2 Convent Road (at Convent Station)

Madison , NJ   Morris Township , NJ

(on the campus of Drew University )   (on the campus of the College of Saint Elizabeth )

TICKETS & INFO: Call 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org

Measure for Measure – Snapshot

Venue: F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue at Lancaster Rd. in Madison
(on the campus of Drew University )

Performances: Tuesdays at 7:30 pm; Wednesdays – Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 7 pm; Saturday and Sundays at 2 pm. Call 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org

Tickets : $28 to $52 – Call the Box Office at 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org .

Previews: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, July 10, 11 and 12

Opening Night: Saturday, July 14 (7pm)

Symposium Performances: Tuesday, July 17 (7:30 pm); Saturday, July 21 (2pm)

Know The Show: Thursday, July 19 (7pm)

Closing performance: Sunday, July 29 (2pm)

Performances:

Tuesdays: July 10, 17 and 24 at 7:30 pm

Wednesdays: July 11, 18 and 25 at 8 pm

Thursdays: July 12, 19 and 26 at 8 pm

Fridays: July 13, 20 and 27 at 8 pm

Saturdays: July 14 at 7 pm; July 21 and 28 at 8 pm

Sundays: July 15 and 22 at 7 pm

Saturdays: July 21 and 28 at 2 pm

Sundays: June 15, 22 and 29 at 2 pm