DECEMBER 4 - 20, 2009
Fri. & Sat. - 8:00 PM
Sun. - 7:00 PM
Special $5 Thursday performance - Dec. 17th - 8:00 PM

This winter-set classic play of royal dispute ends the Hunger Artists season.  The story of the King of England's search to find his heir will be given a modern treatment.
 

CAST
Mark Coyan……………………………………………………......…….......................................Henry
Amber Scott…………………………………….……..………….….…...................................Eleanor
Travis McHenry………………………………………....………...……...................................Richard
Anthony Galleran…………………………………………………..………….......................Geoffery
James Bean……………………………………………….…………..…......................................John
Jessica Lynch…………………………………………………..…………..................................Alais
Joshua Aguilar……………………………………………….…………..…...............................Philip

PRODUCTION CREW
Garrett T. McDonald.................................................................................................................Director
Stephanie Cooke.........................................................................................................Stage Manager
Ted Leib..........................................................................................................................Lighting Design
Kaitlyn Tice..................................................................................................................Costume Design
David Yu...............................................................................................................................Prop Master

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DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY AS WE PRESENT
JAMES GOLDMAN’S THE LION IN WINTER

DECEMBER 4 -20, 2009

FULLERTON, CA – The Hunger Artists Theatre Company is proud to present The Lion in Winter by James Goldman as it’s final show of the 2009 Season.  The Lion in Winter is directed by Hunger Artists Company Member Garrett McDonald.  

It is Christmas Court in Chinon, as the Plantagenet family gathers to lie, cheat and deceive one another in a game of power, vying to be the next King of England.  Henry II and his imprisoned wife, Queen Eleanor, lead the battle.  Henry has chosen his youngest son, Prince John as his successor, but Eleanor is strategizing to get their eldest, Richard the Lionheart in the throne.  Then there’s Geoffrey, the middle son, scheming with all of them.  The stakes have been raised this Christmas, as King Phillip of France has joined the group, pushing for the marriage between his sister Alais, who is also Henry’s mistress, and Richard, thus sealing everyone’s fate. 

The Lion in Winter premiered on Broadway at the Ambassador Theater on March 3, 1966.  It was directed by Noel William and featured Rosemary Harris as Eleanor, Robert Preston as Henry and Christopher Walken as King Phillip.  It was nominated for two Tony Awards and Rosemary Harris won for Best Actress.  In 1968, a film version was released starring Peter O’Toole as Henry, Katherine Hepburn as Eleanor and Anthony Hopkins as Richard.  It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning three for Best Actress, Best Screenplay and Best Score.

Stephanie Cooke is the Stage Manager for this production. Ted Leib is providing lighting design and Kaitlyn Tice is designing costumes. David Yu is the Properties Master.

James Goldman was born in Chicago, IL in 1927.  He has written a number of plays, screenplays, libretti and novels including the original play and screenplay for They Might be Giants, the screenplays for Nicholas and Alexandria, Robin and Marian and White Nights.  He also wrote the libretto for Sondheim’s Follies and the novel Fulton County.  He passed away in 1998 in New York City from a heart attack.  He is perhaps best known for The Lion in Winter.

"I fell in love with this play ever since I first read it,” says director Garrett McDonald. “ It’s one of the most uncommon of scripts; one that can exist both in the classical world and the contemporary world. Its characters are historical kings and queens and princes who were alive 800 years ago, but Goldman's use of language and characterization allows them to still be relatable even in the 21st century. Even though they are a royal family, the fact remains that they are a family, and like every other family, they have found it impossible to be perfect, instead falling tragically into lives of constant opposition."

Garrett McDonald has been a Company Member of the Hunger Artists since 2007.  He previously directed Henry and Johanna for last year’s Beyond Convention II one act playwrighting festival.  He has appeared in many productions at the Hunger Artists, beginning in 2007 with Much Ado About Nothing.  He was also featured in The Full Monty, The Jungle Book, Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the Shrew.  He recently also did the costume design for One Flea Spare.

“The Lion in Winter is one of my favorite shows and I am so thrilled to be presenting it,” says Artistic Director Amber Scott.  ”Hunger Artists tries to present something a little different at the holidays, and Lion is a nice choice, giving you a little Christmas atmosphere around a witty and insightful look at a powerful family dynamic.”