About the Program

Join us for the fifth anniversary of our reading/dramaturgy program. This program is an initiative of the Belonging and Artistic departments at Shakespeare Theatre Company to expand the classical canon while connecting with the next generation of theatre shifters.

Over the course of seven weeks, students from local HBCUs gather for dramaturgical session led by STC Artistic Producer Dr. Drew Lichtenburg and special guests. The sessions examine the plot and themes of the play, and culminate with a staged reading directed by STC’s Director of Belonging LeeAnét Noble featuring the students at the Klein Theatre. This year’s program features English and Theatre majors from Howard University, as well as Musical Theatre majors from Morgan State University.

This program is possible due to the support of Shakespeare Theatre Company and Eric Ruffin.

About the Play

Dream on Monkey Mountain is an allegorical journey through the dream of Mekak, a self-loathing imprisoned man in the West Indies. We enter his mind through the poetic prose Walcott is renowned for. Joined by Moustique, his friend (and, at times, foe), a mysterious woman, and series of other characters as he navigates his dream, we are faced with layered themes such as colonialism, religion, class, and identity. Intense drama, comedy, and magical realism collide in this tour de force play by Nobel Prize-winning playwright Derek Walcott.

Reflections

“I am happy to have been able to come back to D.C. to perform with you all. The students are so talented. This Shakespeare Theatre program is phenomenal!”
–Edwina Findley, award winning actress, best-selling author, and star of The Residence (Netflix)

“I had the pleasure of working on the project Brown Girl, Brownstones under the direction of LeeAnét Noble and alongside fellow Bison artists from Howard University. I think it’s important to continue these programs which connect professional artists and students because of the networking, fellowship, conversation, and creativity that takes place when artists gather. A moment that stands out for me was when the students formed a circle to warm up. I joined the circle and shared some of my warm up techniques with them, and they gave me a few that they used. In that moment, we became one.”
–Harriett D. Foy, Actress

“Ever since we started this program, working with the Howard University students each year has become one of the highlights of my fifteen-year tenure at STC. I feel lucky that I get to lead dramaturgical conversations and investigations into plays like Ama Ata Aidoo’s The Dilemma of a Ghost, Derek Walcott’s Dream on Monkey Mountain, and Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman. I’ve loved these plays since I first read them many years ago, and seeing them on our stages is a thrill. But more importantly, this program also expands and raises consciousness, while providing young and talented HU students with an entrée to the profession. It’s been inspiring for me to see the students engaging with these modern classics, and I feel pride at seeing them practice their craft.”
–Dr. Drew Lichtenberg, STC Artistic Producer and Resident Dramaturg

“As a graduate of the renamed Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University with a focus in theatre, I was excited to return home to join Shakespeare Theatre Company. As a high school student, I participated in the education programs and in my junior year as a student at Howard University, I witnessed The Oedipus Plays at STC. This production placed the ancient Greek story in Africa, starring legendary classical actors such as Earle Hyman and Avery Brooks. This adaptation allowed me to see classical theatre in a new way and intrigued my interest in STC.

“In my role directing Belonging on senior staff and the artistic team, it was important to create connections that celebrated classical theatre from the lens of the community. I joined the company during an incredible transformation under the Artistic Direction of Simon Godwin. His vision of expanding the classical canon allowed for new adventures.

“Simon was eager to explore ways to connect further to Howard University. Collaborating with professors and leadership, we formed a program to celebrate plays that deserve a space in the classical canon. Over the years, we have dived into and performed Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman, Paule Marshall’s Brown Girl, Brownstones, Suzan-Lori Parks’s In the Blood, and Ama Ata Aidoo’s The Dilemma of a Ghost. We thought it was important to have the students in conversation and performance with professional actors which have included Keith David, Harriett D. Foy, Edwina Findley, and Hill Harper.”
–LeeAnet Noble, STC Director of Belonging