In 1821—forty years before the abolition of slavery, and fifty years before Black Americans earned the right to vote—two productions of Shakespeare’s Richard III are on the rialto. One is presented by the African Company of New York, known for putting on plays in a downtown Manhattan theatre to which both Black and white audiences flocked. The other is helmed by an uptown theater impresario who—fearful of the African Company’s production, which is garnering large white audiences—manipulates the law and employs his privilege to shutter the competition. Shakespeare is the cultural battleground in this inventive, emotional, and energetic retelling of a pivotal moment in American theater history.

THE ALL-NEW, ALL-FREE UTR BEGINS WEDNESDAY!
Producing theater in a global pandemic is new territory for most, but who better to answer the call than the team of Under The Radar? The festival’s mission has always centered on finding the most innovative and compelling new theater you need to know, and one thing is for certain: this edition will surprise, delight, and keep you on your toes.