‘Julius Caesar’ adaption switches genders; play opens Jan. 19 | Tri-City Herald

When Miriam Kerzner auditioned for The Rude Mechanicals’ production of Julius Caesar, she had one caveat: she didn’t want the title role.

She had plenty of theater experience, but mostly in smaller parts. She didn’t think she could carry a scene.

Turns out she was wrong.

Kerzner, an adjunct professor at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, commands the stage as the Roman politician and general.

SIGN UP

“She is an incredibly focused actor. She has done an incredible job,” said Emily Richman, the show’s co-director. “Physically, she’s small. But she has gravitas. Miriam as Julius Caesar is badass.”

The Rude Mechanicals’ production of the Shakespearean tragedy opens Jan. 19 at the Uptown Theatre, 1300 Jadwin Ave., Richland. Tickets are on sale now.

The local theater company is using a new adaptation of the Bard’s classic tale of power, fear, ambition and hubris.

It’s about 90 minutes long, which is shorter than the original, and is set in a post-modern time.

In the adaptation — by theater director and professor Amanda Dehnert — Caesar is a woman.

Richman said the gender flip provokes questions and prompts the audience to think about the story in new ways.

And it dovetails with the company’s emphasis on diversity and representation.

“It’s important for people to be able to see themselves on stage,” Richman said.

Many of Shakespeare’s plays feature male main characters and female supporting characters.

“Some of (the supporting female roles) are great, don’t get me wrong,” Richman said. “But as a woman, to see yourself in a powerful role — there’s power in representation.”

The Rude Mechanicals is the first theater company to produce Dehnert’s adaptation since it debuted at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2011.

Ellicia Elliott, who’s co-directing with Richman and is The Rude Mechanicals’ artistic director, saw it at the 2011 festival and was deeply moved.

Unlike many other Shakespeare stories, in Julius Caesar “there is no ‘villain’ or ‘hero,’” she said.

“Every character embodies hubris and humility; audience members will be able to see themselves reflected up on that stage, in both positive and negative ways,” she said.

Along with Kerzner as Caesar, the cast includes Patrick Killoran as Brutus, a politician who conspired against Caesar, and Geoff Elliott as Caesar ally Mark Antony.

Anna Newbury, a stage veteran and the show’s fight and movement choreographer, takes on the role of Cassius, another conspirator.

Cassius typically is male, but Richman and Ellicia Elliott approached several parts as gender-neutral in the casting process, picking the best person for the role. So their Cassius is a woman.

The play contains adult themes and some staged violence; it’s recommended for ages 14 and older.

Kerzner said she’s looking forward to the show’s opening.

Caesar doesn’t have an overwhelming line load, but looms large in the play. Kerzner enjoyed diving deeply into the text and bringing to life the iconic leader, she said.

In the story, “what you have, from what I’ve seen, is a number of people who really want to do what’s best for Rome. They believe they know what’s best for their country. In order to accomplish that, they are willing to use means that are ultimately destructive of everything they’ve valued,” she said.

The play’s themes are still relevant today, Kerzner said, and she hopes the production leads to questions and discussion, that it challenges as well as entertains.

“If we can (do that), then we’ve done what we’re supposed to do,” she said.

Performances are at 7 p.m. on Jan. 19-21 and 26-28, with additional 2 p.m. matinees on Jan. 21 and 28.

Tickets range from $5 to $50 and are available at rmtheatre.org and at the door.

A Back Stage Pass, which includes an interactive pre-show discussion with Elliott and Richman, is an extra $10.