KING LEAR

About the show

Shakespeare's tragedy explores the catastrophic consequences of unchecked power and wounded pride. When a aging monarch divides his kingdom based on flattery, he sets in motion a series of devastating events that strip him of everything—title, family, sanity, and identity. As the state fractures and his closest relationships crumble, the king descends into madness, ultimately discovering harsh truths about himself and the world. Arin Arbus directs John Douglas Thompson, widely regarded as one of contemporary theater's greatest Shakespeare interpreters, in this monumental role. Their sixth collaboration at Theatre for a New Audience promises a searing examination of power, family, and the human capacity for self-destruction.