Shakespeare Theatre Company

Shakespeare Meets National Politics
In Annual Will on the Hill Bash

The Shakespeare Theatre Company will mark the10th year of celebrating the enduring power of Shakespeare's words with the aid of Washington's politicians, lobbyists, and journalists in its annual Will on the Hill program on May 7 in Sidney Harman Hall. This year's Will on the Hill is marked by a performance of Speak the Speech, I Pray You!, an original play by Peter Byrne with assistance from The West Wing Writers Group.

The evening begins with a VIP cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the performance at 7:30 p.m. and a buffet dinner at 8:30 p.m. Performance-only tickets to this popular annual event have already sold out. However, patrons may enter their names on the wait list by calling the box office at 202-547-1122. VIP tickets, which include a pre-performance cocktail reception and a buffet dinner with the opportunity to meet and dine with members of the cast and event sponsors, are still available for $250 by e-mailing WillontheHill@ShakespeareTheatre.org.

Speak the Speech, I Pray You! tells the tale of a director and stage manager tasked with corralling a cast of Washington luminaries for a benefit performance of Romeo and Juliet. This year's cast includes Emmy Award–winning actor Richard Schiff, best known for his role as Toby Ziegler on The West Wing, and Tony Award nominee and STC–affiliated artist Veanne Cox. Many senators and members of Congress will take the stage as well. Those scheduled to appear include Sen. Roger Wicker (R–Miss.) and Reps. Shelly Berkley (D–Nev.), Gerald Connolly (D–Va.), Susan Davis (D–Calif.), Theodore Deutch (D–Fla.), Donna Edwards (D–Md.), Chaka Fattah (D–Pa.), Michael Grimm (R–N.Y.), Rick Larsen (D–Wash.), Jim McDermott (D–Wash.), Mike McIntyre (D–N.C.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D–D.C.), Frank Pallone (D–N.J.), Thomas Petri (R–Wis.), Chellie Pingree (D–Maine), Jared Polis (D–Colo.), Peter Roskam (R–Ill.), and Peter Welch (D–Vt.).

In addition, STC welcomes an international government representative, the Honourable Ian Liddell-Granger MP (Member of Parliament for Bridgewater and West Somerset). Other illustrious cast members include Robin Bronk (CEO, Creative Coalition), Dr. Natwar Gandhi (CEO, District of Columbia), Major Garrett (congressional correspondent, National Journal), Rick Klein (ABC News' senior Washington editor, World News with Diane Sawyer), William Kristol (political analyst, founder and editor The Weekly Standard), Scott Simon (NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday), and Susan Stamberg (special correspondent, NPR's Morning Edition).

Proceeds from this event support STC's many education, artistic, and community engagement programs including in-school workshops and online learning resources that inspire new and diverse audiences and deepen the connection to classical theater in learners of all ages.

Will on the Hill is made possible in part by its executive sponsors: CoStar Group Inc., Intuit Inc., MapHook Inc., McDermott, Will & Emery LLP, and Patton Boggs LLP, as well as The Hill.

May 2, 2012

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