The Shakepeare Theatre of NJ presents “The Book of Will” by Lauren Gunderson

(MADISON, NJ) — How far would you go to honor and preserve a friend’s legacy? What if that friend was William Shakespeare and his plays were lost forever? Lauren Gunderson’s acclaimed play The Book of Will illuminates the astonishing true story of two ordinary men whose love for their friend and his genius continues to influence our world four centuries after Shakespeare’s death. The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will present The Book of Will at the FM Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University from July 10-28, 2024.

The play is directed by Shakespeare Theatre’s venerable Artistic Director Emeritus Bonnie J. Monte, who led the company for 33 seasons before stepping down at the end of 2023. “The characters in the play were real, living, breathing people,” says Monte. “They weren’t just Shakespeare’s ensemble mates, they were his best friends. This story of how these friends, with the help of Providence and a small group of accomplices, managed to save Shakespeare’s plays from oblivion is not only an extraordinary story, but also a truly inspiring and moving one.”

“These men accomplished something miraculous against all odds,” Monte continued. “It’s a story to rival any epic saga of heroism ever told. But these heroes were simple, ordinary people who were grateful and astute enough to recognize the inestimable value of something so incredibly rare that they risked everything to save it for us all.”

The Shakespeare Theatre has received much praise over the years for its historically inspired productions, including last season A man for all seasonsand the acclaimed regional premiere of Shakespeare in Love in 2017, directed by Monte.

“Bonnie is the perfect director for this play,” says Brian B. Crowe, the theater’s new artistic director. “It celebrates the importance of legacy and the power of great art to change hearts, minds and our souls, something that is a hallmark of Bonnie’s work.” Monte has directed over 100 productions for the Shakespeare Theater and was named one of the “40 New Jerseyans We Love” by New Jersey Monthly and one of the 25 most influential people in the arts in New Jersey by The Star-Ledger.

The renowned ensemble that brings this exciting story to life includes experienced ensemble members Michael Stewart Allen (Waiting for Godot, Much Ado About Nothing, A Child Celebrates Christmas in Wales) and Anthony Marble (Waiting for Godot, The Tattoo of the Rose, The Rainmaker) as Henry Condell and John Heminges, two members of Shakespeare’s acting troupe who, five years after Shakespeare’s death, undertook the seemingly impossible task of compiling all of his plays into a collection. Other leading roles are played by Pearce Bunting (Grapes of Wrath) as Ben Jonson, Brent Harris (The Metromaniacs, Exit the King, The Alchemist) such as Richard Burbage and William Jaggard, Isaac Hickox-Young (A Midwinter Night’s Dream, The Caretaker, The Tattoo of the Rose), Amy Hutchins (Christmas for children in Wales),Victoria Mack (Tartuffe, The Guardsman, Pygmalion), Jack Steiner (Christmas for children in Wales), Patrick Toon (The Winter’s Tale, The Misanthrope, The Royal Family) and Carolyne Leys (A lot of noise about nothing).

The design team includes Sarah Beth Hall for set design, Hugh Hanson for costumes, Matthew Adelson for lighting design and Ms. Monte for sound design. The production manager is Alison Cote. The Book of Will is sponsored in part by Lynne and John Rathgeber.

Single tickets for Book of Will start at $39 for previews and $55 for regular shows. Prices range from $39 to $75. The theater offers several cost-saving options, including $15 student tickets with a valid student ID and a limited number of pay-what-you-want tickets for each performance on a first-come, first-served basis. STNJ also offers a $30 under-30 ticket option, which offers $30 tickets for patrons ages 30 and under with a valid ID. Additional discounts are available, including subscription discounts and 10% off for PBS/Thirteen members, active military, Madison Loyalty Club cardholders and AAA members. STNJ also accepts the Family First Discovery Pass for families receiving SNAP, WIC or Work First New Jersey benefits. For tickets, patrons can call or visit the box office at 973-408-5600 ShakespeareNJ.org.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) is one of the nation’s leading Shakespeare theaters, serving approximately 75,000 adults and children annually. It is New Jersey’s largest professional theater company devoted to Shakespeare’s canon and other classical masterpieces. Through its productions and educational programs, the company seeks to illuminate the universal and enduring significance of the classics for contemporary audiences.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s programs are made possible in part by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Other major support comes from the FM Kirby Foundation, the Shubert Foundation, the Edward T. Cone Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the CTW Foundation, the Samuel H. Scripps Foundation, the Union Foundation, the EJ Grassmann Trust, the Hyde and Watson Foundation, the Jack K. Ayre and Frank Ayre Lee Theatre Foundation, the John R. Eckel Jr. Foundation, the Turrell Fund, the Merrill G. and Emita E. Hastings Foundation, and the Howard Gilman Foundation, as well as contributions from numerous other foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals.