WORCESTER – On the back steps of City Hall lies the bloody, lifeless body of Julius Caesar. Antonia, played by Hanover Theatre’s actor/director Livy Scanlon, steps forth into the spotlight. She is a Roman general and one of Caesar’s closest friends. She had hoped to make Caesar the new king, but now there was venom in her eyes. She pledges vengeance against the murdering conspirators.

On Friday, August 6, an estimated 200 people filled tables, lawn chairs and park benches situated at the western end of the Worcester Common, transfixed by Scanlon’s stage presence.

“A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;/Domestic fury and fierce civil strife/Shall cumber all the parts of Italy,” Antonia proclaims, clutching her fists as she delivers her scathing and passionate speech. Antonia, who pretended to be allies with the conspirators, instead plans to strike back. “Blood and destruction shall be so in use.”

Tyler Pike, 22, a Clark University student, was particularly moved by Scanlon’s performance.

“I enjoyed all the emotion from the actor playing Antonia,” he said. “She gave a powerful performance and I think it was awesome. I’m currently working on my English major, so I love this kind of thing.”

This free performance of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar was the Hanover Theatre’s first production since last December’s presentation of A Christmas Carol. Just prior to the start of the show, Scanlon expressed her appreciation to the audience and how this outside production was a way to thank them for their support shown throughout the pandemic.

However, free does not come without a cost. To mount a show at this size and scope in downtown Worcester, Scanlon said the price tag the Hanover Theatre must pick up is about a quarter million dollars.

“I did do some math, however, and it turns out that if we were to sell every single ticket for every single performance, instead of offering the show free and open to the public, we would have to charge $86.80 per seat to recoup the quarter-of-a-million dollars that went into the show,” Scanlon said. 

Fortunately for Scanlon and the Hanover Theatre, they were able to raise enough money “thanks to the generosity of our donors and sponsors. Let’s give it up for them,” she said.

“Caesar is dead!” Photo by Kevin Paul Saleeba.

The audience was not only treated to one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, but if they were watching intently, they would have noticed a few changes to Shakespeare’s original text, particularly with the gender and sexual orientation of some of the characters. For instance, some of the most notable tweaks include Scanlon’s character, initially Marcus Antonius or Mark Antony, who is male in the original text, but the character is changed to a woman for this production. Also, Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia, is changed to Calpurnius, his husband, played by John Morello; and the male senator and co-conspirator, Cassius, is changed to Cassia played by Meri Stypinski. 

The Hanover Theatre made a conscious decision to focus on its mission of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

“Our adaptation seeks truth and authenticity in storytelling,” said Kathryn M. Moncrief, the show’s associate director. “Togas with a modern twist and diverse casting that reflects our community and world as we draw new significance from this enduring story.”

Several members of the audience said they enjoyed the changes.

“I love the different takes on the characters,” Pike said. “Clark is a very progressive school and as a student, seeing this contemporary version is something for everyone. I love to see it.”

Sarah Hayward, a Boudin University student and resident of Marlborough, said the changes have added to the enjoyment of the show.

“I think it adds a lot of life to the performance,” she said. “There’s always stuff happening all around us. It’s very interesting because it’s a pocket of life happening in the greater scheme of things.”

Nicole Hoxworth of Worcester, who has watched Shakespeare performances at the famous Globe Theatre in London, said the Hanover Theatre interpretation of the play is a celebration of the playwright’s brilliance. She not only values the changes in genders, but also acknowledges the parallels the play has with modern life.

“I like how they are addressing contemporary themes in a way, for instance having Julius Caesar have a same-sex partner,” she said. “Trading the genders and upsetting the norms. I appreciate the Hanover’s candidness and their bravery to approach this with today’s mindset and to retrofit it back in time to where our gender experience reflects the political arena that we’re in right now. And I love that! I think it’s such a beautiful nod to Shakespeare. So, personally or course with that tie in, I love that.”

Staging a free outdoor play was meant to bring the Worcester community together. “At its core, Julius Caesar is a play about civic life and community,” Scanlon said. “And live theater is a fundamentally communal event. We wanted the idea of community to inform every aspect of the event.”

Experiencing Shakespeare outside was a big hit with spectators. Courtney Howe of Rutland said “I like it more outside because the air feels good. I also like how members of the town can enjoy and interact with the show as well. I don’t understand the play that much but it sounds good and looks great.”

Rachel K. of Worcester said she unfortunately let her membership to the theater lapse because of the pandemic, but “I think the experience outside has been great. We used to see a lot of performances so it’s great to experience it and to hear it in this way and I think it’s exceptional there’s no cost … I think the actors are great and I’ve really enjoyed the performance. I think they’ve brought a lot of passion and depth to the play.”

Hoxworth said, “I like the grit of the city atmosphere. I think it adds to the experience.”

Performance dates will continue from now through August 28, with flexibility for rain dates. For inclement weather, rain dates will be announced by 3:00 p.m. on the day of the performance via social media and emailed to the person who made the seat reservation. 

As with all past Hanover Theatre productions, COVID-19 safety guidelines will be enforced. All performances of Julius Caesar will be free and open to the public. Advance reservations are recommended but not required.  Reserved seating will open at 6:30 p.m. Due to the free-and-open-to-the-public nature of this event, reserved seats must be claimed by 7:30 p.m. to be guaranteed. At 7:30 p.m., unclaimed reserved seats will be released to walk-up audience members.

For more information, visit the Hanover Theatre website at: www.thehanovertheatre.org.