{"id":48035,"date":"2022-02-01T11:18:02","date_gmt":"2022-02-01T16:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/?p=48035"},"modified":"2022-02-01T11:18:02","modified_gmt":"2022-02-01T16:18:02","slug":"aquila-theatre-presents-the-great-gatsby-and-macbeth-feb-4-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/latest-news-and-updates\/aquila-theatre-presents-the-great-gatsby-and-macbeth-feb-4-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Aquila Theatre Presents The Great Gatsby<\/em> and Macbeth<\/em> Feb. 4-5"},"content":{"rendered":"

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For one weekend of stellar performances at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, Aquila Theatre brings two literary classics to life in downtown Asheville: F. Scott Fitzgerald\u2019s The Great Gatsby<\/em> on Friday, February 4, and William Shakespeare\u2019s Macbeth<\/em> on Saturday, February 5. Both performances will be held at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

One of the Wortham Center\u2019s fan-favorite companies, returning each season with two new and exciting productions of literature\u2019s best works, Aquila Theatre is one of the foremost producers of classical theatre in the United States. The critically acclaimed, award-winning company is known for its innovative interpretations of the classics, specifically designed for today\u2019s audiences.<\/p>\n

Founded in London in 1991 by Peter Meineck, Aquila Theatre moved to New York City in 1997 \u2014 and, throughout the years, the company has been praised as producing high-quality classics \u201cwith superb acting and clever staging\u201d (The New Yorker) and has been called \u201cone of the most inventive and daring theatre companies in the country\u201d (The Lincoln Star Journal).<\/p>\n

This season, Aquila brings two exciting productions to the Wortham Center, the first of which is F. Scott Fitzgerald\u2019s The Great Gatsby<\/em>. Beneath all the glitter, glamour and glitz of the Roaring Twenties was a culture of success defined by extravagance \u2014 of classism and prejudice, of wealth, material possessions, and obsession masquerading as love. Though often romanticized in modern pop culture, The Great Gatsby<\/em> paints an honest and moving portrayal of American society that still resonates today, an exploration of the quest for the American dream in the absence of true equality. Aquila Theatre\u2019s theatrical adaptation of the famous novel uses clever and impactful design, superb acting and insightful direction to emphasize the connections between our current culture and that of a century past.<\/p>\n

The second evening brings a thrilling tale of ruthless ambition, deadly deception, intense paranoia, and ultimately, insanity, in William Shakespeare\u2019s Macbeth<\/em>. On a deserted moor shrouded in mist, a warrior returning from the battlefield is met by three old women who deliver a chilling prophecy \u2013 that one day he will be crowned King of all Scotland. So begins one of Shakespeare\u2019s most exciting plays. This is a world where \u201cfair is foul and foul is fair.\u201d Read by millions each year, Macbeth<\/em> offers timeless lessons about motivation and human nature.<\/p>\n

A play is considered classical when it transcends the original culture it was created for \u2014 provoking the central question of what it means to be human \u2014\u00a0and Aquila Theatre\u2019s mission is to make these classical works accessible for all, cleverly connecting the original text to the culture and society of today.<\/p>\n

Aquila Theater Ancillary Events
\n<\/strong>Connect beyond the curtain with Aquila Theatre in four public ancillary events, February 4-7.<\/p>\n