After exploring the worlds of shipbuilding, American classics and the Cold War as a musical concert, Pioneer Theatre brings the British monarchy to the stage in “King Charles III.”
Nominated for the 2015 Tony Award for Best Play, “King Charles III” sends audiences into the near future with current Queen Elizabeth II’s death. In this case, Prince Charles will take the throne, but there’s still the rest of the royal family to reckon with. Exploring the thoughts of Prince William; Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; and Prince Harry, King Charles III reveals the inner workings of royal lives, as well as the private thoughts of very public individuals.
For Pioneer’s production, King Charles will be played by John Hutton in his PTC debut. Monique Fowler will play Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, while Grant Goodman plays Prince William and John Ford-Dunker plays Prince Harry.
Bailey Walker, currently a senior in the MTP program, also joins the cast in the ensemble, where her roles range from a maid and a member of Parliament to a double of Princess Diana’s ghost. Walker’s work at the U has included pieces like “Hello Dolly!” and “Self Defense or Death of Some Salesmen,” but nothing on this scale. “Doing a political family drama/thriller in such a big house is very different,” she said. “It’s been an amazing experience watching my fellow actors and their processes–I’m learning a lot about being truthful and also being able to be big enough for a thousand person audience at the same time.”
Walker noted that the script has been one of the highlights of this production. “Bartlett’s ability to use prose and verse in modern language is stunning and the actors have such a great grasp on it- they make it sound like normal everyday language,” she said.
“I hope audiences realize that celebrities such as the royal family, have an exterior for the public and a very intricate interior they keep hidden away,” Walker said. As a family that remains in the public spotlight so often, “King Charles III” creates a more intimate experience of this particular royal family for audiences. “I hope that audiences see family relationships are everything but can become extremely complicated with fame and tradition,” Walker added.
“King Charles III” opens March 24 and runs through April 8 at Pioneer Theatre. Tickets are available at the Pioneer box office and online. Students can purchase discounted tickets for weekday performances, or purchase available tickets one hour before curtain as part of student rush, so remember to bring your UCard.