Darren Lawson as the Duke of Buckingham Classic Players 2012 Players Classic

Beneth Jones as Queen Margaret

Ron Pyle as Richard III SHARING MASTERWORKS OF ART OF SHARING MASTERWORKS s m a r t a s m AN EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH OF BOB JONES UNIVERSITY OUTREACH AN EDUCATIONAL protecting their lives. He also has several of his enemies falsely falsely also enemies several his has of He their lives. protecting executed. which they are crimes for with charged convinces behalf, on Richard’s acting Buckingham, of The Duke King not are in the Tower princes the little that Londoners on Richard’s obstacles final the Thus sons. legitimate IV’s Edward removed. are the crown to path does he the crown, accept to seems reluctant Richard Although in fact, IV was, illegitimate Edward that so the pretense under one supporters, his unite to III works Richard While himself. for arrange to unwilling Buckingham, they defect. Even one by forces joins and revolts in the Tower, the princes of the murder the throne. who seeks claim to Richmond, Earl of Henry, with at army his and Richmond confront forces his and Richard killed, and eventually III is Richard Bosworth where Field, in monarch first Henry VII, England’s crowned is Richmond of years 30 after that proclaims Richmond dynasty. the Tudor will He end. an to the Roses come of has the War civil unrest, the Elizabeth, the Princess uniting daughter, marry Edward’s • Lancaster. and York of houses . III Richard

Katharine Golightly as Lady Anne

November 2012 November Shakespeare’s Philip Eoute as the Earl of Richmond

Richard III: The Terrible Reign Richard III: Terrible The

These study materials are produced for use with the Classic Players production of production Players for use with the Classic produced are materials study These Richard III: The Terrible Reign: Plot SummaryReign: Terrible The III: Richard When King Edward IV dies, Richard as Lord Protector has his his has Protector Lord as IV dies, Richard Edward King When Duke of Richard, and Wales, of Prince Edward, sons, young of the pretense on London of in the Tower imprisoned York, Thus in the Tower of London, Richard’s henchmen drown drown henchmen Richard’s of London, Tower in the Thus Richard charge filledThe in a trough wine. with Clarence death. IV’s Edward sought has he that him is against makes Margaret, Henry VI’s widow, pronounces a curse on Richard Richard a curse on pronounces widow, Henry VI’s Margaret, those denounces and evil an spirit and villain” murd’rous “a as heaven that predicts She killing him in his spree. who stood by them all. for in store” plague a “grievous has First Richard has his other brother and the heir presumptive presumptive the heir and brother other his has Richard First Then imprisoned. Clarence, Duke of George, the throne, to the daughter- skills woo Lady to Anne, uses persuasive he his marry Henry VI, to is he the him even though late of in-law father-in-law. and husband her of the deaths for responsible As King Edward IV suffers declining health, his youngest living living youngest health, his declining suffers IV Edward King As devises to a scheme Gloucester, Duke of Richard, brother, the crown. between everyone him and who stands eliminate Ron Pyle as Richard III; Classic Players 2012 production Buckingham: Cohort and Victim

When the action of Shakespeare’s Richard III begins, the Duke of Buckingham (Henry Stafford) is Richard III’s confidant and co-conspirator in the crime spree concocted to secure the crown for Richard. Like Richard, Buckingham is ambitious and immoral. He is responsible for bringing both the young Edward V, heir to the throne of his dying father, Edward IV, and his brother, the young Duke of York, out of safety to London, where they will be killed. He imprisons Rivers and Grey, brother and son of Edward IV’s wife, Queen Elizabeth, and arranges for their execution.

After the death of Edward IV, the bishops offer the crown to Richard, who feigns reluctance to accept it. It is Buckingham whose begging ostensibly persuades Richard to receive it. But later when Richard would have Buckingham devise the deaths of the young princes in the Tower of London, he recoils. Buck- ingham defects to the army of English noblemen who have flocked to the side of Richmond, who threatens to strike down the tyrant Richard in battle. Buckingham’s defection marks the first stage in Richard’s loss of control of his own destiny.

On the field Buckingham is captured by Richard’s army and led away to his execution. Realizing that it is All Souls Day, the day upon which the Roman Catholic mass focuses on the Day of Judgment, Buckingham acknowledges his wrongdoing and turns Introduction to Richard III Darren Lawson as Buckingham, his thoughts toward repentance. His final words confirm that Classic Players 2012 production Margaret’s curse has fallen “heavy on [his] neck.” For over 400 years artists and audiences have admired Richard III is the final king Shakespeare depicts in his first cycle Darren Lawson as Buckingham, In the standard Shakespeare text of the play, Buckingham is Shakespeare’s Richard III. The last of England’s kings from of history plays, after three plays about King Henry VI. The Classic Players 2012 production second only to Richard III in the number of lines he speaks. • the house of York, Richard was a morbidly fascinating villain. tetralogy deals with the nation of England during the 15th century The playwright had access to a number of sources when he and the eventual fall of the house of York. It ends with the death began writing Richard III around 1592. Scholars believe that of the tyrant Richard III at Bosworth Field, which signals the Thomas More’s History of King Richard III (1513) provided rise of Henry, earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry VII. information in biography form that served Shakespeare well. More provides the following detailed account of Richard’s In Shakespeare’s hands the tyrant Richard is a multi-faceted char- Playgoer’s Guide appearance and character: acter, at once witty and diabolical, charming and cruel. Ambition and a lust for power are the chief of his vices. His role in the play Little of stature, ill-featured of limbs, crook-backed, his left is second only to Hamlet’s in Shakespeare’s canon in terms of the Early Title (Q1 title page): The Tragedy of King Richard the Subject: historical events that occurred in England from shoulder much higher than his right, [Richard was] hard- number of lines he speaks. Richard is also a forebear to Hamlet in Third, Containing, His treacherous Plots against his brother around 1471 to 1485. But Shakespeare has no regard for favored of visage, and such as is in [rulers] called [warlike], in the highly theatrical nature of his character. He brings the audience Clarence: the pittiefull murther of his innocent nephewes: his historical accuracy in the play. He compresses time, creates other men otherwise; he was malicious, wrathful, envious, under his spell through his soliloquies for a large portion of tyrannical usurpation: with the whole course of his detested motives, changes some of the facts of history, and exaggerates and, from before his birth, ever froward. … [To] friend the play. He is a type of Proteus, that great shape-shifter, who life, and most deserved death. some events and characters. and foe he was … indifferent; where his advantage grew he can “frame [his] face to all occasions,” “change shapes” and “add spared no man’s death whose life withstood his purpose. colors to the chameleon” [3, Henry VI, 3.4.86-88]. Date of Composition: 1592-93 Plot: Richard’s hunger for power prompts him to attempt to remove all obstacles standing between him and the Andrew Dickson makes the following observation about the Like Thomas More, Shakespeare weaves the theme of Providence Date of First Publication: 1597 throne: his brother, King Edward IV, who dies a natural relationship of Richard’s natural handicaps to his atrocious into the resolution of his plot. Once the strife between the houses death near the beginning of the play; Edward IV’s young behavior: Shakespeare’s Richard III is “extremely bold in his of York and Lancaster ceased at Richard’s death, England enjoyed Place in Chronology of Shakespeare’s Plays: probably sons, Edward, the Prince of Wales and Richard, the fourth determination to wreak revenge. … It is clear that Richard seizes the peace and fruitfulness that attended the reign of Henry VII among first four or five plays in canon of 37 plays duke of York; Clarence, his older brother; and Princess on the monstrous aspects of his appearance and makes them and his young wife Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV. They Elizabeth, the oldest of Edward’s surviving daughters. • into a source of malevolent power.” In spite of modern attempts established the dynasty of the Tudors. They became the parents Setting: England around 1485 to cast Richard as a good king who has been maligned through of Henry VIII and the grandparents of Queen Elizabeth I. • the ages, he is still regarded as the epitome of arrogant tyranny. Genealogy in Richard III

Edward III House of Lancaster (Red Rose) House of York (White Rose)

Edward, The Black Prince Blanche John of Gaunt Katherine Swynford Edmund of Langley

Richard II John Beaufort, Richard, Earl of Cambridge Henry IV Earl of Somerset

John Beaufort, Henry V Richard, Duke of York Duchess of York Duke of Somerset

Oldest Son Middle Son Youngest Son Edmund Tudor Margaret Beaufort, of Wales Countess of Richmond

Widow of former King Henry VI. Richard III killed Old Queen her husband & son Henry VI to get the crown to Margaret his brother, Edward

Anne Neville Edward, Prince of Wales RICHARD, George, Queen Elizabeth King Edward IV Duke of Gloucester Anne Neville Duke of Clarence (RICHARD III)

Widow of Henry VI’s son, Edward

Characters appearing in Richard III

Characters discussed in Richard III Henry Tudor Married Kills King Richard III Marries Young Elizabeth to unite the Earl of Richmond Young Young Killed by Richard III House of York & the House of Lancaster Young Elizabeth & establish the House of Tudor (Henry VII) Prince Edward Prince Richard → - —Herschel Baker • —Herschel Richard III? Richard this for wearing you are hats what Exactly When did you begin work on the designs? How much time time much How designs? the on work begin you did When Do you simultaneously work on design, blocking, acting I adapted the story from Shakespeare’s play. I designed I designed play. Shakespeare’s the story from I adapted I started the designs in 2011, worked on them off and on on and them off on I started in 2011, worked the designs while the blocking I of some I think Sometimes about did you spend on them? on spend you did Or what a production? for do you things other the of many and first? on focus you do the story conceptually if I ever had the chance to be a to a part of the chance if I ever had the story conceptually these me haunted has the play say I wouldn’t it. of production of a bit the story and a respect had for I have but years, many That tell. to stories the of easiest not is It it. approaching in fear challenge! The this project. I love why partis of JM: JS: JM: JS: JM: JS: throughout the year, and finished in 2012. I did costume finished them the and the year, throughout and set designs later. first designs production focus on to I like the sets. designing Ideally, am how of then the scene mechanics determine design to concept, this case (In finally costumes. the function,the and set might the final design.)That scene before came designs the costume design schedule. beseems in my to the new norm the sets, designed the costumes and am currently directing directing currently am and the sets, designed the costumes designer the lighting with I also work director, As the show. designers. sound and Shakespeare] “is more concerned with moral moral with concerned “is more Shakespeare] III, Richard Richard III Richard [In meanings than with the recording of events. … As a Machiavel who a Machiavel … As events. of the recording with than meanings whose body good, twisted his and takesmoral evil signifies his for when who, a good man not is freak. a is He nihilism, Richard redemption. find when fallen,to hopes who, falls, and tempted, ‘abortive, an a ‘bottled spider,’ toad,’ bunch-back’d a ‘poisonous is He … [T]here exhilaration and … bravado with sins [He] hog.’ rooting a kind of crimes reveal his And in Richard. streak a sportive is crimes they are that But enjoy. we both and he that cunning antic successes, quick of string his Despite recoil. we finally and clear, is corruption, of a spiral into up which seem the kingdom sweep to retribu crime and of sequence a mounting upon built is the play tion—Clarence’s, the Woodvilles’, Hastings’, and Buckingham’s— and Hastings’, the Woodvilles’, tion—Clarence’s, death.” master-villain’s in climax the its finds that Director of Education, Janie McCauley, interviews Janie McCauley, of Education, Director Stegall Designer/Director, Jeffrey III of Richard How and when did you become acquainted with the play? play? the with acquainted become you did when and How Twenty-five years agoat Illinoisthe production I a saw

Bob Jones Jr. played the role of Richard III with Classic Players in 1940, 1945, 1948, 1955, 1963 and 1972. 1948, 1955, 1963 and 1940, 1945, in Players Classic III with Richard of role the played Jr. Jones Bob Have you seen productions that you responded to very positively very to positively responded you that productions seen you Have veryor negatively? JM: JS: Shakespeare Festival. They started the play with everyone out of out with everyone started Theyplay the Festival. Shakespeare Richard, playing the actor saw the performers as and character in disgust. stage left the quickly and character they into came and began audience turnedto all the he left him, had When our of the winter is “Now monologue opening famous the they of missed the that meaning realize I now …” discontent. thinking that my the beginning was of it speech, the but opening important. extremely are a production of moments the opening in 1989. production Classic Players’ recent most our I also saw I and Oklahoma, of the University grad school at at away I was I saw Thanksgiving. friends over visit to Greenville to back came be to in back times because so three I was happy the production for that admit I must again. air Rodeheaver breathe to and town approach I would how about thought I have years twenty over

Benneth Jones as Queen Margaret; Classic Players 2012 - -

Queen Elizabeth, wife of King Edward IV and mother of his his of mother IV and Edward Queen King Elizabeth, of wife in the appear to mourner the second is children, young three murders subsequent and the husband her of death the After play. the of mercy at entirely is the queen sons, young two her of intelligent is because she enemy an as her regards He Richard. also has Richard unfolds, the plot the action of As outspoken. and Ul executed. and arrested Grey, son, her and Rivers, brother, her let him marry to persuade her to plan Richard’s foils she timately his as Elizabeth, regards he Princess whom daughter, young her the throne. to path in his obstacle the last removing of means the aging facts, brings the historical ignoring Shakespeare, England Henry to VI, back of widow Anjou, of Queen Margaret and husband her After in the play. Richard haunt to France from she Thus banished. was she earlier, killed years some were son after years many court at English the appearance first her makes proves She the war. of in the events player been a major having brought destructionand the suffering against voice a chilling wan Margaret political treachery. and war decades of by about and Richard, losses, cursing her the lamenting court around ders all those him and fall who to upon vengeance God’s calling for Lancaster. of in the the fall house of been implemented have is the Duchess play in the women mourning of the fourth The Richard. and Clarence IV, Edward King of mother York, of two and sons three husband, her of the deaths laments She of the Duchess taunts time Margaret the same At grandsons. that hell-hound “a birth to given who has the woman as York all us death.” to does hunt Elizabeth York, of the III young Richard of productions some In appears killed who in the Tower, are princes the little to sister of daughter The in the play. lines no has she although onstage who the becomes instrument Queen Elizabeth, eventually she • York. and Lancaster of houses the warring unites

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Richard III, ShakespeareRichard

Three Queens and a Duchess Three Richard III:Richard Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s The Women in Women The Even though it’s a man’s world in world a man’s it’s though Even Lady Anne Neville, the widow of young Prince Edward, hates hates Edward, Prince young of the widow Lady Neville, Anne both her of the deaths for responsible is because he Richard Prince account, Shakespeare’s In father-in-law. her and husband IV, Edward the brothers by death stabbed to was Edward Henry stabbed in the VI was Tower and Richard, and Clarence Anne allows Richard, cursing after But Richard. by London of political gain, own marry his to persuade her him to him for the unwilling clearly is She husband. her grieves she even as for even those seems, not it one, No scheming. victim Richard’s of the disasters by untouched is high to position, attained who have the curse Anne Ironically, in civil strife. a nation plague that Richard’s as her falls on eventually Richard on pronounces poisoned. her has eventually Richard consort. miserable caster and York. In the context of the culmination of the strife, of the culmination of the context In York. and caster emphasize to duchess a and queens three employs Shakespeare evil forces Richard’s of the downfall predict to truths and moral in the order a higher moral of necessaryas the restoration to and treachery war the lament women The the family. and nation they plead and fathers, sons, them their husbands, cost have that evil. of the forces and crush Richard to retribution God’s for Anne, Elizabeth, the Duchess of York and Margaret are all are Margaret and York Elizabeth, of Anne, the Duchess the since England dominated has that the turmoil victims of the Roses, 15 of began some the War as known civil war, long history plays 10 English Shakespeare’s of Eight earlier. years events the chaotic III compresses occur in this Richard setting. bloodyconflict civil was This of war. the years the final 15 of Lan between of the dynasties a struggle the crown for largely includes in the cast female characters who raise their voices their who voices raise characters female in the cast includes by war about brought sufferings and the immorality against Galloway, Shirley of the words In treachery. Richard’s and to on sidelines the as being presented are “Thewomen bury or the dead.” grieve, complain, JM: In what period have you set the play? How do the time setting JM: Have any characters been added … Or combined? and locales influence the audience’s understanding of the play? JS: Yes. To get fewer characters, some of the Lords went away JS: Concerning period, I have taken somewhat of a different while other characters (Catesby and Ratcliffe) grew as they approach than I have used before in creating the world of the play. picked up some of the obligatory lines once delivered by the Research was done from the 15th century (period in which the characters who were cut. historical Richard lived), Victorian (the 19th century is a time JM: Are there fight scenes? period I have come to love for many of Shakespeare’s plays), and modern/futuristic (mostly modern materials from this period). JS: The battle at Bosworth will be fought by Richard and There are anachronisms in the costuming such as zippers on Richmond alone. One single fight with surprises. otherwise Victorian-looking garments as well as modern elements JM: What kind of weapons are used? such as shoes fashioned after 15th-century research. I also experi- JS: Swords and daggers. mented with Neoprene rubber in costuming for the first time. See some of my recent blog posts at yorickco.blogspot.com. JM: Is there a romance/love scene in this play? JS: There are two wooing scenes. I wouldn’t call them romantic JM: Have you used color symbolism in the design? or love scenes. They both seem political, but especially the JS: Because of the tone of the play and the emphasis on death/ second when Richard woos Queen Elizabeth to talk her mourning, black is an important part of the designs, especially daughter (young Elizabeth) into marrying him. in the set. There is glossiness to the set, like the tile in a morgue. It reminds me of the slick side of Richard. So many in the story JM: Do you include any character who is alluded to but does comment about how good (clean) he is. He is a dark character. not appear onstage in the text? JS: Yes. Young Elizabeth (last scene as a child in Henry VI, Part 3) JM: Did you cut Shakespeare’s text to create the script for doesn’t actually appear in Shakespeare’s Richard III but shows this production? up early in this adaptation to help the audience see Richard’s JS: Yes. Nearly half of the original text is gone. older brother Edward IV’s full family (Queen Elizabeth, young JM: What were your criteria in making the cutting? Elizabeth and the two princes). JS: I wanted a lean text that focused on Richard’s journey and JM: What role in Richard III would you like to perform if you terrible reign. I wanted to make the story clear by making the were auditioning for a production yourself? family (and other) relationships easy to understand. One of the ways I tried to do this was by adding direct addresses to clarify JS: All of the brothers (Edward IV, George and Richard) the relationships. Shakespeare does this a good bit already, but interest me as an actor. And Buckingham. He’s very complex. I added even more. Either murderer would be fun because I never saw a clown part I didn’t want to try on. And if I ever found myself in an JM: Have any characters been cut? all-male production (historically accurate that is), watch out JS: The original play has one of Shakespeare’s largest speaking for Old Queen Margaret. She’s a little crazy, you know. casts of sixty plus. This adaptation has brought the number of JM: What are your guidelines for casting this production? named speaking characters to under twenty. As an audience member, I like fewer characters to keep track of in a story. JS: BJU is an amazing place to cast a play. I think being able to cast age-appropriate, veteran actors such as Ron Pyle (Richard), JM: Why? Beneth Jones (Queen Margaret), Corretta Grass (Duchess of JS: I don’t want the audience to open the program and see sixty York), Darren Lawson (Buckingham) to name a few, gives our characters to figure out and keep straight. It can be fatiguing. productions a real depth. Nearly half of the roles are filled with faculty/staff and the other half by students and grad students. JM: Have any scenes been cut? The student actors are strong in this show, and for some of JS: There has been some moving of lines, and one scene was them, this is their debut with Classic Players. It is great to see moved to a different location from the original order, but I the young actors working alongside the seasoned ones. That think most of Shakespeare’s scenes are there and in nearly the kind of collaboration can be amazing. • original order. JM: Have any scenes been added? JS: A few lines from Henry VI, Part 3 have been added near the top of the show to help establish Richard’s goal in the story. These materials are original and ©2012 Bob Jones University, Dr. Janie Caves McCauley, writer. All rights reserved. No part of this study guide In rehearsal we are also toying with the idea of adding a phrase may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, from Henry V. I am still not sure if that one will make it in the electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without show. Listen for it. It’s a famous line. the prior written permission of the publisher. FA 048 (13650) 10 /12