Dan Kremer returns to the Shakespeare Theatre Company as the title character in “Julius Caesar,” the role he performed so memorably three seasons ago. To open its 25th Anniversary Season, the company is offering the drama free of charge to the general public through the annual Free For All promotion that enables people to bask in the beauty of Shakespeare’s words and his deep understanding of human nature for free.
“From all accounts, those who have done these free concerts say that those who come are the best audience because they come with enthusiasm and want to be there.” Kremer said. “For that matter, there are no better audiences than in Washington. They always come with a strong background in classics and a great participatory sense. The STC artistic director, Michael Kahn, has nurtured the audience from the beginning.”
| Onstage |
| ‘Julius Caesar’ |
| Where: Shakespeare Theatre Company, Sidney Harman Hall |
| When Thursday to Sept. 4 |
| Info: Free, sponsored by Target and others. Tickets are available via online lottery at shakespearetheatre.org/ffa between midnight and 8 p.m. the day before the performance. Lottery winners will be notified via email; Tickets are also available through a ticket line outside Sidney Harman Hall. Tickets distributed two hours before each performance. Each person in line can receive up to two tickets. Friends of Free For All may reserve tickets in advance. Anyone may join Friends of Free For All by making a tax-deductible contribution of $200. |
Kremer is one American actor whose career is built primarily around Shakespeare. He has appeared with STC in “Romeo and Juliet,” “Henry V,” Richard II” and “Antony and Cleopatra,” and performs frequently with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and major repertory companies in such contrasting roles as King Lear, Prospero and Oberon. Other credits include Horace Vandergelder in “The Matchmaker” and television’s “The Fugitive.”
“My love of the theater goes back to high school and an inspiring English teacher who believed that Shakespeare should not be merely studied, but also spoken,” he said. “She had everyone in the class learn at least one passage from his plays. That early exposure to language gave me an understanding in living and knowledge of the beauty of the spoken word.
“Shakespeare wrote for a young audience. During his time, more than half the population of London was under 25, so his audiences passed along incredible youthful energy. That’s why he relates to young people today. Their imagination is captivated and engaged by his words. I love working with young actors because of the energy they bring to the experience and a freshness of vision when they study a play. They’re passionately involved with Shakespeare.”
Kremer’s great fondness for writers who treat language with respect extends to George Bernard Shaw and contemporary writers Arthur Miller, Sam Shepard and Tom Stoppard.
“To watch young people discover what they can pull out of Shakespeare is thrilling,” Kremer said. “Some are shy at first, fearing they aren’t going to get it, but within a short time, they’re swept up. I want the STC audience of all ages to take away with them a fascinating story of a dreadful act that has repercussions for generations to come.
“Julius Caesar is killed in the first scene of Act III. Shakespeare used the rest of the play to explore the consequences of his actions that affected everyone because of who he was. It’s important for contemporary audiences to understand that Shakespeare’s words ring true today. We must consider everything we do with an eye to the future.”
