Tonight’s the night! No Exit Theatre Collective presents:
William Shakespeare’s THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR
Directed by Ben Natan
William Shakespeare’s JULIUS CAESAR, directed by founder and co-artistic director Ben Natan will be performed today, March 15 at 7PM ET on the No Exit Theatre Collective Facebook page.
This reading is part of our Fortnightly Reading Series. This is the second show in our Radical Transformations cycle.
Gwen Hornig is Brutus
Tessa Ramírez-Keough is Cassius
Ryanne Salzano is Mark Antony/Ensemble
Katelyn “Kay” Elliot is Julius Caesar/Ensemble
Anja Avsharian is Portia/Calpurnia
Arin Edelstein is Casca/Octavius/Ensemble
Daniel Furst is Soothsayer/Ensemble
Kassandra Pérez is Cinna/Ensemble
Ellen McAlpine is Our Swing
Technical directed by Ellen McAlpine
Director’s note, from Ben Natan
Today on the Ides of March, we have the pleasure of sharing a reading of Shakespeare’s classic retelling of the assassination of Julius Caesar.
Wherein lies the tragedy in the assassination of such a powerful figure? That’s what we sought to discover in a week of rehearsal. The truth is, tragedy is abound in this play. Just as Caesar was well loved by his subjects, he was rightfully feared by those who had served closely with him. The tragedy of Julius Caesar is also the tragedy of Marcus Brutus, of Caius Cassius and of Mark Antony. Every party in this play, in this moment in history, had a legitimate, morally sound claim to their vocation. Yet, these claims collided in a bloody, horrible war.
Tonight we scratch the surface of the questions facing us today regarding the stability of a republic and risking it in hopes of a better and more just world.
Gwen Hornig (she/her) is a Bay Area-based educator and theatre artist. Her most recent theatre credits include: Metamorphoses (Satyr/Inferno Theatre), Cassandra Project (Cassandra/Troupe Theatre), The Brides of Atreus (Clytemnestra/Washington Place Players), and The Crucible (Elizabeth Proctor/Theater at Gallatin). This is Gwen’s second performance with No Exit, previously appearing as Lady Macbeth. Gwen is so excited to join this latest production of Julius Caesar, and thrilled by the opportunity to make theatre more accessible to all through this new virtual medium! Much love to my family, my students, and my dog Max.
Tessa Ramírez-Keough (she/they) is a current freelancing performer and filmmaker. Through her studies of Visual Storytelling at NYU, she has discovered her love for the stage and screen. Acting credits: Lady MacDuff/Hecate, Macbeth; Viola, Twelfth Night; Don Pedro/Conrade, Much Ado About Nothing (NETC); Toiba, The Argentinian Prostitute Play (Broadway Bound Theater Festival); Vera, It Came From Beyond (Write Act Rep). SM credits: Frankenstein, BFF, Wicked City Blues and Geeks! The Musical (Write Act Rep). She was also Company Manager for Little Lord’s Skinnamarink (NYT’s Critic’s Pick in March 2019). She is thankful for her family, friends, Connor, and everyone that has brought her so much joy and so many opportunities. Black lives matter. All inquires at tessak530@gmail.com and on Instagram @tessa_rene7.
Ryanne Salzano (she/her) is a writer and editor based in her hometown of New York City. She graduated in 2020 from The New School's Eugene Lang College with a degree in Journalism + Design. Ryanne is the editorial director of No Exit Theatre Collective. She has enjoyed the hell out of this reading.
Kay Elliott (she/they) likes to play with words as well as gender. They previously joined No Exit as Algernon Moncrieff in 'The Importance of Being Earnest ' and Philinte in 'The Misanthrope'. Kay spends their off time writing novels and baking. Find them on Instagram @battlin_kat
Anja Avsharian (she/her) is an NYC based actor/singer. She is currently working on ‘The Maids,’ an interactive theatre experience set to debut Spring of 2021. In the fall of 2020 Anja filmed her TV debut in ‘Spooky Babes’ but before that, she could be found Off-Broadway, with notable past credits including Beauty in Beauty & the Beast, and Malka in The Argentinian Prostitute. She’s trained at Loyola University New Orleans, the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, and NYC's Professional Performing Arts School.
Arin Edelstein (she/they) is an actor, musician, and freelance accompanist based in New York, and they are so grateful to be back for another project with NETC! Recent roles have been Puck (Midsummer Night’s Dream) and Horatio (Hamlet), both with NETC; Hero/Music Director (Much Ado), Banquo (the Scottish Play), Juliet (Romeo & Juliet), and Viola (Twelfth Night) with NYU Shakespeare-To-Go. Outside of theatre, Arin is working with Police Free CSD, an abolitionist organization working to end police presence in her hometown’s school district. Next, she will be playing Jessica in Momenti Productions’ The Merchant of Venice. So many thanks to the NETC team!!
Daniel Furst (he/him) is a recently graduated research scientist. He recently obtained his Masters degree in Ecotoxicology from Towson University, and is excited to step back onto the (virtual) stage after his brief hiatus from theater. He would like to thank No Exit Theatre Collective for giving him this opportunity to revive his passion for the arts.
Kassandra Pérez (she/her) is an actor, creator, writer and applied theatre practitioner. Kassandra has had the honor and privilege of doing various Zoom readings since the pandemic started and this process has allowed for her to work and learn from various directors, writers, creators etc. This experience of quarantined performances has moved her to focus more on the works she hopes to be a part of and make, allowing for to hone in on the importance of telling/being a part of stories that speak to the greater good. She is grateful and excited to be a part of yet another No Exit production.
Ellen McAlpine (she/her) is a New York-based actress and model and is thrilled to be part of this production. Ellen has been involved with NETC since their first production of "Much Ado About Nothing." She is a graduate of Muhlenberg College (2018) and recent credits include an appearance on "Evil Lives Here" on Investigation Discovery, and the web series "The Egos" and "The Holidays". You can find Ellen on Instagram @ellenjmcalpine and see her full portfolio of work at ellenmcalpine.com.