“All things are ready, if our minds be so.”
This Shakespearean epic follows a charismatic warrior King and his cohort through the brutality of warfare, as the ragtag band confronts heavy opposition and their own destinies in an aggressive pursuit of the French crown. Henry V is a deeply ambivalent play about leadership, and the power of language and storytelling to shape our collective identity. The play’s central question – What kind of leadership would it take to forge a resilience and unified band of brothers and sisters from a fractious and anxious group of individuals? – resonates with fresh urgency in our contemporary world.
Story
HENRY V begins at the English court, where the young king is persuaded that he has a claim to the throne of France. When the French dauphin, or heir apparent, insults him by sending him tennis balls, Henry launches his military expedition to France.
Before departing, Henry learns that three of his nobles have betrayed him, and he orders their execution. Meanwhile, his old tavern companions grieve over Sir John Falstaff’s death, and then leave for France.
Henry and his army lay siege to the French town of Harfleur, which surrenders. The Princess of France, Katherine, starts to learn English, but the French nobles are sure of success against Henry. Instead, Henry’s forces win a great victory at Agincourt.
After a brief return to England, Henry comes back to France to claim his rights and to set up his marriage to Princess Katherine. The play’s epilogue points out that Henry will die young and that England will as a result lose most of his French territories.
Summary Courtesy of Folger Shakespeare Library.
Cast & Creative
King Henry Emily Ota*
Archbishop of Canterbury, The King of France, Erpingham Duane Boutté*
Cambridge, Bedford Timothy Bright CC
Nym, Constable, Williams Carl Howell*
Gloucester, Orleans Lennon Xin Wen Hu CC
French Ambassador, Court, York Phoebe Lloyd CC
Montjoy, Hostess Quickly, Jamy Melissa Mahoney*
Chorus, Boy Sean McNall*
Bardolph, Bates, Salisbury Francis Pàce-Nuñez CC
Pistol, Bourbon Luis Quintero*
Exeter, Le Fer, Falstaff Kurt Rhoads*
King Henry Understudy Antoinette Robinson*
Grey, Governor of Harfleur, Queen of France Mayadevi Ross CC
Westmoreland, Gower, Princess Katherine Omar Shafiuzzaman*
Scroop, Dauphin, Macmorris Stephen Michael Spencer*
Ely, Fluellen, Alice Nance Williamson*
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Davis McCallum
Costume Designer Anya Klepikov
Props Designer Buffy Cardoza
Sound Designer, Composer Fitz Patton
Scenic Advisor Sandra Goldmark
Lighting Designer Mike Inwood
Movement Director Susannah Millonzi
Voice Coach Alithea Phillips
Stage Manager Jo Fernandez*
Casting Calleri Jensen Davis (James Calleri, Erica Jensen, Paul Davis)
Key Art Ligature Creative
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CAST
Emily Ota*
King Henry (Henry V) and Maria (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Duane Boutté*
Archbishop of Canterbury, The King of France, Erpingham (Henry V) and Sir Nathaniel (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Timothy Bright (CC)
Cambridge, Bedford (Henry V) and Moth (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Carl Howell*
Nym, Constable, Williams (Henry V) and Dull (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Lennon Xin Wen Hu (CC)
Gloucester, Orleans (Henry V) and Dumain (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Phoebe Lloyd (CC)
French Ambassador, Court, York (Henry V) and The Princess of France (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Melissa Mahoney*
Montjoy, Hostess Quickly, Jamy (Henry V) and Jaquanetta (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Sean McNall*
Chorus, Boy (Henry V) and Holofernes (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Francis Pàce-Nuñez (CC)
Bardolph, Bates, Salisbury (Henry V) and Longaville (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Luis Quintero*
Pistol, Bourbon (Henry V) and Costard (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Kurt Rhoads*
Exeter, Monsieur Le Fer (Henry V) and Sir Adrian O. Dearmaddow (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Antoinette Robinson
King Henry Understudy (Henry V) and Rosaline (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Mayadevi Ross CC (CC)
Grey, Governor of Harfleur, Queen of France (Henry V) and Katharine (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Omar Shafiuzzaman*
Westmoreland, Gower, Princess Katherine (Henry V) and Ferdinand, King of Navarre (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
Stephen Michael Spencer*
Scroop, Dauphin, Macmorris (Henry V) and Berowne (Love’s Labor’s Lost)
