The Shakespeare Riots is an original show written by David McGuff, premiering on Kerrville stages. One of the bloodiest events in New York’s history, the Astor Place Riot of 1849, was caused by a years long rivalry between the two leading Shakespearean actors of the age: Edwin Forrest, the first great American actor, and William Charles Macready, the preeminent tragedian of England.

The Shakespeare Riots recounts the story of this tragic night, its two towering protagonists, and the political and cultural influences that fueled the violence. It weaves a spellbinding saga of dramatic passion, unforgettable characters, the battle for the soul of America, and the future of Shakespeare.

The cast and crew of The Shakespeare Riots are hard at work bringing a true story to life on the stage. “There is a lot of responsibility in bringing a piece of history to the stage. We’re playing real people, we’re representing and having to evoke a specific period in time and you want to respect that and make sure we are as true to that as we can be,” said David McGuff, who stars in the show as Edwin “Ned” Forrest. “There’s also a lot of opportunity and excitement. This is an original play. We’re the first people to ever say these words and stage these events in this way. So, we’re getting to figure out the best way to do that together and I think audiences will really enjoy what it is we’ve conjured up.”

Yellow Lab Productions is confident that the show will have something for everyone within its story that spans 40 years, following the rivalry of the two most famous actors of that time. “It’s historical fiction at its core. We’ve taken a true story and dramatized it into a tragedy. There’s also a lot of comedy to be found because these characters are so smart and witty. Also, there’s a bit of a love story, a celebration of Shakespeare, and two incredibly compelling characters at the center of the action. The story is essentially a tragedy, as you watch these two men’s obsession and possession of one another destroy their lives. If you liked plays like Equus, which we did a few years back, Amadeus, or movies like Gangs of New York, which takes place in the same time and place as our story then I think you’ll enjoy The Shakespeare Riots.”

The Shakespeare Riots, directed by Chris Huber, tells the story of Ned Forrest and William Charles Macready and how their rivalry influenced a young America. As America struggled to forge its own independent culture free of English influence, theatre reigned as the most accessible and popular art in the country. Everyone could quote Shakespeare and looked to his words and works as a way to help understand their life and create an identity. In the past, only English actors had been judged worthy of truly capturing Shakespeare on stage, but that changed with Ned Forrest. He captured the heart of America as an embodiment of a young America’s working class spirit: Forrest was strong, powerful, and confident on stage. 

William Charles Macready was the most successful English actor of his day, and was softer, more nuanced, and academic in his approach to acting. These stylized differences lead to an intense rivalry that ended up personifying the rising hostilities between the two countries, as well as the fiercely patriotic working class Americans and the upper class Americans who identified more strongly with the British, as America began to try to rise up out of England’s shadow as its equal on a political and cultural level. This passion led to a series of controversial events including the actors hissing one another, attacks in newspapers, boycotts and organized opposition during performances, and finally with a full scale riot which led to the deaths of over twenty Americans as both actors played Macbeth in New York on the same night.

“It’s a truly incredible story where truth is stranger than fiction and it’s one that most people have never heard of, unfortunately. For an event that had such lasting consequences on our country in a lot of ways, it’s sad that it’s mostly been forgotten. We’re hoping to give an audience a chance to learn something about our past, be entertained by these characters, and leave them thrilled with a top-notch theatrical production.”

The show runs one weekend, March 15-17, 7:30 PM, at the VK Garage Theatre.

Tickets are $10 and on sale now through the Playhouse 2000 box office. 830-896-9393 or via Vendini