INDIANAPOLIS — For the penultimate production in IRT’s 50th Anniversary Season, the Theatre will share a surprisingly modern portrait of Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway. Written by Vern Thiessen and directed by Brenda DeVita, Shakespeare’s Will runs March 15 – April 16 on the IRT Upperstage. Starring in the show is Tracy Michelle Arnold, who made her IRT debut in 2019 as Nora in A Doll’s House, Part 2.
Inspired by what little is known about Anne Hathaway, this witty and imaginative play tells her side of the story, full of love and loss, secrets and sacrifices. Set after Shakespeare’s death in 1616, audiences receive an in-depth look at a proudly imperfect wife and mother — a liberated woman living on her own defiant terms.
“There are only nine known facts about Anne Hathaway,” Director Brenda DeVita shared. “Shakespeare’s Will weaves those nine facts into a fully realized Anne. A beautiful, poetic story about a brave woman in honest contemplation of her life’s choices. Anne owns the choices she’s made. Not proud of every choice but, more importantly, proud of the way she has handled them: the good ones and the bad.”
The IRT will host multiple Talk Backs and engagement opportunities during the production. The two Community Conversations will take place on March 18 after the 1 p.m. performance and March 19 after the 2 p.m. The post-show programs will explore topics related to the show, including reflecting on the historical overshadowing of women through thoughtful panel conversations and poetry readings.
For tickets and information about the run of Shakespeare’s Will, please visit irtlive.com.
