Brass Tacks Ensemble offers stripped down take on Shakespeare's 'Antony & Cleopatra'

Posted on Fri, Aug 3, 2012 : 11:53 a.m.

The Brass Tacks Ensemble will present William Shakespeare’s "Antony & Cleopatra" at two locations this week, Performance Network's Mosh Pit and Kerrytown Concert House.

In the wake of Julius Caesar’s death, and the defeat of his assassins, the world is divided between Octavius, Caesar’s heir, and Marc Antony, Caesar’s trusted friend. Passion and history collide as the flagrant romance between Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra threatens to topple the already fragile power structure. BTE presents this sweeping, tragic and oftentimes humorous drama about two rulers whose love was too large for this small world.

BTE was founded in 1999 by a trio of actors who shared a love of Shakespeare and a proclivity for dark, offbeat humor.

Throughout the last decade of productions - ranging from Shakespeare to Pinter, original plays, sketches and parodies - BTE has aimed to satisfy the artistic cravings of its members while offering unique theatrical experiences to its audiences. The name Brass Tacks is emblematic of the organization’s desire to strip things down to their essence, or to “get down to brass tacks.” Cast members rotate relative to productions, and all ensemble members share a vision of theatre as a reflection of life. The group puts an emphasis on the abilities of its actors, keeping production and technical aspects as un-obtrusive as possible.

The cast of "Antony & Cleopatra" includes: Amanda Barnett, Isaac Ellis, Chris Harrison, James Ingagiola, Greg Kovas, Jeffrey Miller, Kaarina Quinnell, Anne S. Rhoades, Rob Sulewski and Rachel Robbins Toon.

The show runs in the Performance Network's Mosh Pit, an intimate space for black-box style theater, August 5-8 at 7 p.m.; and Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. Fourth Ave., Aug. 9-11. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $5 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the door for Performance Network; Kerrytown reservations can be made online.