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The Folger Spotlight

Meet the Cast: Saint Joan

George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan has brought the “Maid of Orleans” to life on countless stages since its premiere in 1923, but New York-based Bedlam brings a new twist to this classic play: a cast of only four actors performing all twenty-seven roles. Meet the quartet of artists who will accomplish this extraordinary feat on the Folger stage beginning May 12.


 

Dria Brown
Joan

At the center of Saint Joan is, of course, the woman herself, Jeanne d’Arc, the French teenager who heard voices she believed came from God. She led the French against the English before her eventual capture and execution. This extraordinary figure is brought to life by Dria Brown, who has previously been seen at The Public, New York Theater Workshop and Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, and may have been heard by DC audiences through her voiceover work on The Man in the High Castle and Resistance Radio..

Eric Tucker
Director and Dunois, Warwick, and others

If you were one of the lucky audience members to catch Folger Theatre’s production of Sense & Sensibility, then you have already an idea of Eric Tucker‘s creative energy and innovative approach to classic stories. Saint Joan marks Tucker’s return to our stage as a director, but also his Folger debut as an actor. Tucker takes on a myriad of roles including Dunois, the French commander whose support Joan wins in the field, and Warwick, one of the English noblemen plotting Joan’s downfall.

Edmund Lewis
Dauphin, John de Stogumber, and others

A longtime member of Bedlam, Edmund (Ted) Lewis has appeared in the company’s productions of The Tempest, Peter Pan, and Sense & Sensibility, among others, as well as in the films Have You Seen Calvin and Marriage & Other Tragedies. In Saint Joan, Ted plays the Dauphin, who Joan is determined to see crowned King Charles at the cathedral of Reims, as well as John de Stogumber, another one of Joan’s enemies eager to see her brought down.

Sam Massaro
Cauchon, Poulengey, and others

Rounding out Bedlam’s production of Saint Joan is Sam Massaro, who brings to life the church’s representative, Cauchon, as well as the one of Joan’s earliest supporters, Poulengey (“Polly” to his friends). Massaro has been seen at New Swan Shakespeare and the B Street Theater, and we’re thrilled to welcome him—and the entire cast of Saint Joan—to the Folger stage.

Now that you’ve met the cast of Saint Joan on the blog, come meet them in person—all four actors will be at our Brews and Banter later this month. Chat over craft Bluejacket Beer (which is coming up with fresh new brews weekly) and see the show after. They can’t wait to see you!

The company of Saint Joan rehearsing in New York, 2018.


Stay tuned for more peeks at Saint Joan, which begins performances on Saturday, May 12, with a special Pay-What-You-Will performance on May 13. For tickets and more information, visit us online or call the Folger Box Office at 202.544.7077.


Saint Joan
Folger Theatre/Bedlam
Directed by Eric Tucker; ; costume and sound design by Eric Tucker; lighting design by Les Dickert.