William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead by John Heimbuch & District Merchants by Aaron Posner
Photography by Caitlin Stone-Collonge (District Merchants) and Sinjin Jones (Land of the Dead).
Two biting comedies.
One with a bloodier bite.
Shakespeare, uneasy laughs and epic zombie fights!
District Merchants Cast
JM Appleby... Antoine DuPre
Marc Berman... Shylock
William J. Brown III... Finn
Nique Eagen... Nessa
Annamarie MacLeod... Portia
Michaela Stewart... Jessica
Adam C. Torrian... Lancelot
Reggie Washington... Benjamin
William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead Cast
JM Appleby... Sir Robert Cecil
Marc Berman... Sir Francis Bacon
William J. Brown III... William Shakespeare
Helena G. Clarkson... Queen Elizabeth
Arturo Dirzo... Richard Burbage
Nique Eagen... Kate Braithwaite
Tom Farley... Dr. John Dee
Annamarie MacLeod... Kemp
Olga Molina... Rice
Adam C. Torrian... John Sinklo/ Soldier 1
Kelly Weber Barraza… Soldier 2
Zombies: Raymond Alvarez, Syeda Huq, Max Mahle, Vic Prosak, Erika Robertson.
IN REPERTORY | NOV. 17 - DEC. 10, 2023
Press
"The Pear Theatre is mastering the challenge of Shakespeare... these plays entertain and make you think. That combination makes for great theatre. The Bay Area is lucky to have this convenient yet first-rate theatre." - Jeryl Moy, Splash Magazines. Read the full review.
"[William Shakespeare's Land of the Dead] keeps the audience’s attention... due in large part to some fine acting performances and the steady direction of Sinjin Jones." - Joanne Engelhardt, Aisle Seat Review. Read the full review.
Synopses
“District Merchants explodes with layers of complexity… Posner has faced the most problematic aspect of Shakespeare’s play here full-on: he turns the question of anti-Semitism on its head, layering in the difficult relationships between two groups historically treated as ‘Other’ in America.” — DC Metro Theater Arts.
“…it’s a well-balanced play, as hopeful and joyous as it is revealing of bankrupt moral systems. …While Posner doesn’t offer easy answers, the sturdy balance among his characters does create something that feels very truthful, worthwhile, and profound.” —TheaterMania.
District Merchants, An Uneasy Comedy examines love, loss, litigation, and predatory lending in surprising ways, wading fearlessly into the endless complexities and contradictions of life in America.
Set among the Black and Jewish populations of an imagined time and place that is simultaneously Shakespearean, Reconstruction-era Washington, D.C., and today, District Merchants is a remarkable tale of money, merchandise, and mercy brought to the stage by award-winning playwright and director Aaron Posner.
“[A] brilliant and hilarious zombies-meet-Shakespeare epic... MUST SEE.” – Saint Paul Pioneer Press
“Both Shakespeare and horror nerds will enjoy this brilliant Elizabethan production of bloody proportions, taking zombies into new and exciting terrain.” – Ben Smith, Fangoria Magazine
William Shakespeare’s Land of The Dead by John Heimbuch takes stage in London, 1599. After the opening of his newest play, Henry V at the Globe Playhouse, William Shakespeare must once again defend his work while the actors strut and fret - and an excess of bile plagues the populace outside. When the company’s costumer is bitten by a plague-ridden madman, and the Queen and her men arrive seeking safety, life in the playhouse takes a turn for the worse.
As the affliction spreads through London, the Globe is placed in quarantine and the survivors within must fight for their lives. Can they escape? Is there a cure? Is artistic integrity ever worth dying for? A true and accurate account of the Elizabethan zombie plague.
Ratings
William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead is rated PG-13 for language, gore and some violence. District Merchants is rated PG-13 for language and adult themes.
Runtimes
Land of the Dead: approx. 80 minutes with no intermission.
District Merchants: approx. 2 hrs. & 15 min. with a 15 min. intermission.
Production Team
Director: Sinjin Jones
Stage & Production Manager: Kelly Weber Barraza
Assistant Stage Manager: Bora “Max” Koknar
Set Design: Louis Stone-Collonge
Lighting Design: Val Zvinyatskovsky
Sound Design: Sinjin Jones
Costume Design: Pati Bristow & Lance Muller
Fight Choreography: Arturo Dirzo