Classic Stage Company announces new season with Macbeth, Dracula, Frankenstein & Assassins

John Doyle is set to direct revivals of Macbeth and Assassins, whilst Dracula and Frankenstein will play in repertory; all part of CSC's 2019-2020 season.

Classic Stage Company's Artistic Director John Doyle has now announced the new productions to make up the company's upcoming 52nd off-Broadway season.

Mr. Doyle commented: "All of the works this season explore disturbing aspects of humanity. Yet they all have beauty. There's nothing more poetically beautiful than Macbeth's 'Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow' speech; there's tenderness in the two gothic plays; there's so much humor in Assassins—and such deep psychological and social insight in all of them."

The main productions of the 2019-2020 season will be presented at CSC's Lynn F. Angelson Theater in the following order:

From October to December 2019, Mr. Doyle will direct a new production of William Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Synopsis: "A terrifyingly prophetic tale of revenge, murder, and madness, Macbeth ominously traces the fallout when the darkest side of humanity cheats its way into a position of power. Often referred to as "The Scottish Play" by superstitious theatergoers due to the purported witchcraft found within its text, Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's bloodiest, scariest, and yet, most popular tragedies."

Next up, CSC will present two canonical works of gothic horror in repertory from January to March 2020: Dracula (based on the novel by Bram Stoker) and Frankenstein (based on the novel by Mary Shelley).

Synopsis: "A thrilling new repertory cycle will bring to life two legendary Gothic nightmares, Dracula and Frankenstein. Widely known as a pair of macabre fantasies about blood-sucking vampires and man-made monsters, these chilling stories more truly scratch at the fundamental human fears of love and betrayal, while exposing the even truer horrors of basic human nature."

For the final production of the season, John Doyle will also direct a revival of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's acclaimed musical Assassins, running from April to June 2020.

Synopsis: "A journey through the dark side of the American dream, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Tony-winning musical Assassins explores the lives of nine men and women who either killed (or tried to kill) one of the Presidents of the United States. From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald and beyond, the stories of our country's most successful and would-be assassins intersect in unexpected ways, creating a powerful, yet unnervingly funny look at some of the most shocking moments in US history."

Casting and creative team information for all productions will be announced at a later date.

Classic Stage Company's current production of Marc Blitzstein's The Cradle Will Rock is set to officially open on April 3 and continue its limited run through to May 19, 2019.