Gloria DuGan, director, “A Man for All Season” with actor Sun King Davis. Traci J. Brooks Studios
Where and When
NextStop Theatre presents “A Man for All Seasons” at Industrial Strength Theatre, 269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon. Performances May 28-June 21. Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 30 and June 6, at 8 p.m., Saturday, June 13 and June 20 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m., with Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets: $28. For tickets call OvationTix: 866-811-4111 or visit www.nextstoptheatre…
Note: “A Man for All Seasons” contains adult situations that may not be appropriate for all audiences.
“The show may be set in 16th Century England, but the issues raised have little changed over the centuries”, noted Todd Huse, who plays the central role of Thomas More in the upcoming production of “A Man for All Seasons” at NextStop Theatre.
The multi-Tony Award winning “A Man for All Seasons” revolves around the powerful More who refused to back away from his ethics, even as he tried to balance the demands of the secular and spiritual. He paid dearly for his decision to stay true to himself, raising the ire of King Henry VIII who had made a radically unusual demand: the unheard of request to divorce to remarry another woman.
“While a moral stand against a King's divorce may seem silly in today's society,” said Huse, “this play is an elegant reminder that our political debates about church and state, changing values, and even domestic intelligence gathering, have been fought and re-fought for many centuries.”
Award-winning, veteran director Gloria DuGan returns to NextStop to guide “A Man for All Seasons.” She described the play as about “the primacy of conscience; integrity versus moral ambiguity.” DuGan went on to note that the play “explores all these themes with a beauty of language that is exemplary.” With plenty of wit and theatrical key silences, the actors “peel back all the layers of their characters to communicate the essential message of the play.”
As the play builds in tension, there appear evident connections between decision-making in medieval England and today’s contemporary life. Dugan expects that audiences will find themselves “challenged to grapple” with the ideas raised by playwright Robert Bolt. As an example, when trying to “save your life” would you sign a document you don’t believe in?
NextStop’s artistic director, Evan Hoffmann, described director DuGan as “one of the most celebrated, prolific, and successful directors in the history of our organization.”
One unique role is “the Common Man.”
“He interacts directly with the audience, provides a framework for the story, and steps in and out of scenes with almost every other character,” said Richard Sherman who plays the character. “The Common Man experiences a wide range of emotions.” He “even unwittingly helps the story along to its ultimate end.”
Inviting audiences to witness “A Man for All Seasons” for themselves, Sherman added that it is a play “beautifully told with drama, humor, intelligence, and an impressive sense of humanity.”