Will Kempe's Players is thrilled to bring "Pericles, Prince of Tyre," a lesser-known epic tale of love lost and love found, to Capital Region audiences this summer. This play, popular in the 17th century, fell out of favor until the latter half of the 20th century and WKP is ready to add to this show's long history. 

Directors and WKP Company Members Shane Sczepankowski and Phil Beattie bring their longstanding friendship and artistic vision to this exciting production. Through their dynamic staging, their need to explore ensemble work, and their topnotch aesthetic design, these two bring a huge personality to "Pericles" 2024. "The journey this play has taken me on as a reader is one I am eager to share with our audience," says Sczepankowski. "The ensemble of artists working on this production of "Pericles" has made our collaboration as smooth as a seaside breeze and we are prepared for easy sailing ahead."

John Gower, played by WKP Director of Development Kristoph "Ragliacci" DiMaria, narrates the story of Pericles, played by Company Member Michael Sinkora – a perilous journey of human resilience and redemption. From confrontations with mortal danger to the redemption of his family, the saga of Pericles never stops delivering. The other roles (princes, princesses, pirates, priestesses, and panders) are performed by an unstoppable ensemble of nine local actors: WKP Company Members Andrew Vroman, Ash Visker, Imzak Mohamed, Rachel Moore, and Shae Fitzgerald; WKP regulars Cameron Richardson and Joey Cappuccitti; and WKP newcomers Jack Fallon and Rachel Bratager. 

"Pericles" uses a traditional three-door Elizabethan set design–with surprises. Audiences can expect ships and storms at sea. The "Pericles" production is visually and auditorily engaging and combines staging with soundscape in an inventive way that keeps audiences captivated and demanding more. 

Founded in 2017, Will Kempe's Players, the only worker-owned Shakespeare cooperative in the United States, has been touring Shakespearean works for 7 summers. In addition to their standard fare, WKP also stages original works and devised adaptations of classics. Their mission is to bring the practices and conditions of the Shakespearean stage into the 21st Century, through Original Practices in the works of Shakespeare himself and beyond. For more information, visit www.willkempesplayers.com or follow @WillKempesPlayers on social media.