Washington DC immersive theater company celebrates Shakespeare's birthday with production benefiting Alzheimer's charity

WASHINGTON, DC, March 26, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Lean & Hungry Theater, DC's only audio theater company and creator of the Lean & Hungry podcast, will present a special live run of Shakespeare's famous epic tragedy "King Lear," at Atlas Performing Arts Center throughout the month of April, William Shakespeare's birthday month with shows from April 3rd to April 23rd and previews beginning on March 31st.

For this performance, which marks Lean & Hungry Theater's 10th anniversary, founder and artistic director Jessica Hansen takes on issues of aging and cognitive decline. According to Hansen, "This show gives us the opportunity to explore issues of power and family and also look at those issues through the lens of aging and the challenges faced by family and friends when a once fierce intellect begins deteriorating." In recognition of this focus, a portion of the proceeds from this production will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association of the National Capital Area.

This show features a talented cast, including Bill Grimmette in the title role and Jessica Lefkow in the role of Kent, along with company members Duyen Washington and Michael Harris in the roles of Goneril and Cornwall, respectively. This is a rare opportunity to see this unique company in action, as their particular brand of sensory theater is usually hidden behind the microphone. Hansen notes, "We are thrilled to expand our realm into a fully-staged production, while staying true to our roots in the text and rich soundscape." This show boasts a strong technical team, including returning composer and sound designer Roc Lee. The artists have appeared with or taught at The Shakespeare Theatre, The Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, The Washington Shakespeare Company, Studio Theatre, and other local and national companies.

The resident theater company of St. Stephen and the Incarnation, Lean & Hungry Theater is the only company in the Washington, DC metropolitan area dedicated to adapting works of Shakespeare and other classic playwrights for audio to make them accessible to a wider audience. Lean & Hungry's podcast was recently named "Best Undiscovered Podcast" by Podster, who described it in this way: "This fun, enlightened and fresh assessment is discussed by a knowledgeable group of panelists who evaluate the work's relevance and its place in today's world."

The productions and recordings of Lean & Hungry Theater productions are endorsed by the National Federation of the Blind.

Conceived in 2006, Lean & Hungry Theater (Lean & Hungry) is a non-profit educational audio theater company. Drawing primarily on the works of William Shakespeare, Lean & Hungry provides adaptations of classic dramatic works to underserved areas, in established or improvised venues (both live and electronic), for the educational benefit and cultural enrichment of students, families, seniors and other interested groups in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and beyond. Lean & Hungry performances are recorded before a live audience, complete with sound effects and original musical underscoring. The recorded performances are made available as audio streams, audio CD and as radio broadcast productions on NPR affiliates and XM Satellite Radio. These performances also form the basis for the Lean & Hungry Podcast, available on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. For more information, visit www.leanandhungrytheater.com

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