Fiasco Theater’s
Pericles
by William Shakespeare
directed by Ben Steinfeld
We were so pleased to partner with Classic Stage Company to produce Fiasco Theater’s Pericles, a play that holds a special place in our hearts. We began our work as a company almost 15 years ago with Cymbeline, another one of Shakespeare's late romances, and it was a joy to return to this genre. The episodic form of Pericles, with its epic sweeps, wild shifts in tone, and eclectic characters and locations, is a rewarding challenge that our ensemble is uniquely positioned to take on. This production, which we originally developed in 2022 through our Without a Net initiative, was a chance to honor our past while celebrating our present. The process felt familiar and comfortable, but it was also full of new experiments, risks, and growth. We collectively explored our understanding of grief and loss, of parenting, and of what the divine means to us now.
This was a production that allowed us to both honor our past and celebrate our present, while also growing as artists.
Fiasco Theater’s PERICLES
by William Shakespeare
directed by Ben Steinfeld
February 8 - March 24, 2024
presented by
Classic Stage Company; Jill Rafson, Producing Artistic Director, Amanda Feldman, Managing Director
Fiasco Theater; Jessie Austrian, Noah Brody, Ben Steinfeld, Co-Artistic Directors; B.J. Evans, Managing Producer
Pericles takes the Prince of Tyre on a Mediterranean adventure full of riddles, betrayals…and pirates! From confident leader to yearning lover to seeker of meaning, our hero in this Shakespearean tragicomedy is brought to life on the CSC stage by the inventive Fiasco Theater, who have previously delighted New York audiences with inspired interpretations of Cymbeline and Into the Woods. The Fiasco Theater ensemble brings music, poetry, and a completely new way of seeing one of the Bard’s most complex characters.
Featuring*
Jessie Austrian, Noah Brody, Paul L. Coffey, Andy Grotelueschen, Devin E. Haqq, Ben Steinfeld, Paco Tolson, Tatiana Wechsler, and Emily Young.
Production Staff
Production Stage Manager: Chandalae Nyswonger
Assistant Stage Manager: Madison Lane
Production Manager: Luner Eclipse Productions
General Manager: Kathryn McCumber
Properties Supervisor: Sarah Pencheff-Martin
Music & Lyrics: Ben Steinfeld
Costume Designer: Ashley Rose Horton
Lighting Designer: Mextly Couzin
Vocal Coach: Liz Hayes
Movement Consultant: Taavon Gamble
Fight Captain: Noah Brody
Movement Captain: Tatiana Wechsler
Associate Director: Ashley Thaxton-Stevenson
Assistant Costume Designer: Ali Caruso
Assistant Lighting Designer: Lauren Lee
The list above includes the core creative team, but is not comprehensive. We are grateful and lucky to have worked with everyone who made Fiasco Theater’s Pericles possible, from the teams backstage and front of house to design associates and interns, and all of you, our community and audience members.
*All performers in this production are members of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The Director and Choreographer are members of the STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY.
Photos by Austin Ruffer
Reviews
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“FIASCO’S PERICLES IS A REVELATION, a revivification of New York theater’s most essential ensemble and a redemption for a play seldom produced.”
– Dan Rubins, Slant Magazine
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“The chief delight here, as in any Fiasco show, is watching the actors work with such fluency and in such communion, supporting and enjoying one another’s work. IT’S REASON ENOUGH TO SET SAIL.
– Alexis Soloski, The New York Times
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“HILARIOUS! An altogether joyous production at Classic Stage Company that comes in at a fast-paced two hours that delight from beginning to end.”
– Pete Hempstead, Theatermania
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“Fiasco Theater, ever daring, sails straight into the storm of Shakespeare’s nautical adventure Pericles. The troupe’s enchanting blend of low-tech story-theater and music MAKE THIS ROCKY EPIC OF THE HIGH SEAS SING.”
– Raven Snook, Time Out New York
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★★★★
– David Finkel, New York Stage Review
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“FIASCO’S HEARTY, EARNEST, THEATER-OUT-OF-A-TRUNK APPROACH to the words and worlds of [Shakespeare] seemingly hasn’t aged a day.”
– Sara Holdren, Vulture
Pericles Accessibility Initiatives
Fiasco Theater, in partnership with Classic Stage Company, offered a number of accessibility initiatives for our production of Pericles, which ran from February 8, 2024, to March 24, 2024. We believe that collaboration and inclusion are core values that extend to the audience experience.
A sensory-friendly performance was offered on Sunday, March 10, 2024, with modifications to sound and lighting, as well as a designated break area in the lobby. Additionally, all performances of Pericles had closed captioning available on personal smart devices. Patrons were given a URL and access to free WiFi to follow along on their own devices. We also had two open-captioned performances, which displayed the text on video screens near the stage on Monday, March 18, 2024, and Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
The production also featured an American Sign Language-interpreted performance on Saturday, March 9, 2024, with interpretation provided by Hands On. We also hosted "Childcare Matinees" on Sunday, February 18, 2024; Sunday, February 25, 2024; and Sunday, March 3, 2024, which allowed parents and caregivers to sign up for free on-site childcare.
Access initiatives for Fiasco Theater’s Pericles were generously sponsored by Thomas M Neff.