The Drama Workshop is thrilled to open the classic, “The Lion in Winter” by James Goldman, on Friday, October 7th, and running through October 23rd at The Glenmore Playhouse, TDW’s intimate 96-seat theater in the heart of Cheviot.
With sibling rivalry, adultery and dungeons, “The Lion in Winter” is a modern day classic. Comedic in tone and dramatic in action, the play tells the story of the Plantagenet family who are locked in a free for all of competing ambitions to inherit a kingdom. The queen, and wealthiest woman in the world, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has been kept in prison since raising an army against her husband, King Henry II. Let out only for holidays, the play centers around the inner conflicts of the royal family as they fight over both the kingdom and King Henry’s young paramour during the Christmas of 1183. As Eleanor says, “every family has its ups and downs,” and this royal family is no exception.
“The Lion in Winter” was adapted for film in 1968, featuring Peter O’Toole as Henry and Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor. Hepburn won second Best Actress Academy Award for her performance.
TDW’s production of “The Lion in Winter” is directed by Francis Boyle, and produced by Dennis Murphy, and features performances by Michael Gettinger (Geoffrey), James Gilhooley (John), Hannah Goodman (Alais), Rick Hunt (Richard), Robert Hyer (Phillip), Wallace Johnson (Henry), and Karen Romero (Eleanor).
Long-time TDW member and Westwood resident Karen Romero considers Eleanor of Aquitaine to be a ‘bucket list’ role. “Eleanor of Aquitaine would be a remarkable woman in today’s world, but in 1183 she was truly unique,” Karen explained. “This is a real life ‘Game of Thrones’ that happened over 800 years ago! Adultery, power struggles, betrayal, and love – the show has it all.”
Newcomer Rick Hunt is the legendary Richard the Lionheart, son of Eleanor and Henry, and also loves the storyline. “You don’t really know what’s going to happen until the last few minutes of the show,” he said. “Audiences will love it!”
Performances will be at 8 p.m. Oct 7, Oct 8, Oct 14, Oct 15, Oct 21, and Oct 22, and 2 p.m. on Oct 9, Oct 16, and Oct 23. Advanced reservation seats are $16 each, or tickets may be purchased for $17 at the box office the day of the show.
For more information or to order tickets, please call TDW’s 24/7 ticket line at 513-598-8303 or order on line at www.thedramaworkshop.org. Discounts are available for groups over 10. Shows frequently sell out, so reservations are recommended. The 96-seat theater uses festival seating, except for season subscribers.
The Drama Workshop was founded in 1954. TDW is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to advancing education and promotion of the theatrical arts. The Drama Workshop is widely recognized as one of greater Cincinnati’s most accomplished community theater organizations, garnering dozens of awards annually from the Association of Community Theatres of Greater Cincinnati. In 2015, they were the most-recognized group in the greater Cincinnati area for theatrical excellence.
TDW has a long history of being selected to represent the Southwest Ohio region at the Ohio Community Theatre Association annual conference, including last season’s production of UNNECESSARY FACE. TDW is also honored to represent the state of Ohio at the 2017 American Association of Community Theatre regional conference in Champaign, Illinois. The Drama Workshop has been recognized by the Cincinnati Preservation Association for their efforts to rehabilitate the former Glenmore Bowl into The Glenmore Playhouse.
Prospective members, and individuals or businesses interested in becoming involved or in helping advance TDW’s mission are encouraged to contact the group through our website at www.thedramaworkshop.org, or by phone at 513.598.8303.