Free acting workshop with members of The Acting Company

University of Illinois Springfield’s Sangamon Auditorium and UIS Theatre are proud to co-sponsor a workshop with members of The Acting Company on Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m. in the UIS Studio Theatre. Members of the community ages 14 and up who are interested in learning more about the craft of acting are invited to attend. There is no admission charge.

In this participatory workshop, titled “Acting Clues in Shakespeare,” participants will learn how an actor dissects the text in order to discover the clues Shakespeare left for us in his writing which lead us to characterization, meaning and universal themes.

On Friday, March 5, at 8 p.m., Sangamon Auditorium will present Romeo & Juliet, a collaborative production of The Acting Company and The Guthrie Theatre. In Shakespeare’s iconic romantic tragedy, innocent young lovers fall victim to family hatred and cruel destiny... swords clash, everlasting love is promised and a treacherous sleeping potion is swallowed in the greatest love story of all time. While still using Shakespeare's text, this unique production will be set not during Shakespeare's Elizabethan time, but during the Titanic era of 1912-1914.

Through the Auditorium’s unique “audition pricing,” which encourages the public to “try out” world-class events, tickets start at just $20 for adults and $11 for youth high school age and younger. Please note that audition pricing is not available the day of the show, but must be purchased in advance.

Founded in 1972 by John Houseman and current Producing Director Margot Harley with members of the first graduating class of Juilliard’s Drama Division, The Acting Company has performed 133 productions for over 2 million people in 48 states and nine foreign countries. The Company has given a generation of actors the opportunity to master their craft. Alumni members include Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, David Schramm, Jesse L. Martin, Keith David, Lorraine Toussaint, David Ogden Stiers, Mary Lou Rosato, Lisa Banes, Derek Smith, Frances Conroy, Dennis Boutsikaris, Jeffrey Wright and Rainn Wilson.

For tickets to Romeo & Juliet or for more information about the free acting workshop, please call the Sangamon Auditorium Ticket Office at 217.206.6160 or 800.207.6960.