Sweet William

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's (CST) international programming initiative, the World's Stage Series, brings to Chicago Michael Pennington's Sweet William, a one-man show melding biography with performance of the life and works of Shakespeare for 20 performances only February 3 - 22, 2009 Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare.

Building on the facts that are known about Shakespeare's life, and drawing on the plays themselves, Pennington creates a portrait of the man that he likens to "a letter to my best friend" in this tour de force performance. With only a chair and a red handkerchief on stage, Pennington goes in and out of characters, blending commentary and biography with performances of famous and lesser-known monologues.

As one of England 's foremost Shakespearean actors, Michael Pennington has spent over 20,000 hours of his life on stage performing the works of William Shakespeare. He studied at Cambridge University before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1964, launching his celebrated international career as an actor and director. In 1986, he and director Michael Bogdanov founded the English Shakespeare Company to present and promote the works of Shakespeare internationally, especially through large-scale touring shows of modern interpretations. The company's inaugural production was the 23-hour The Wars of the Roses, an anthology of seven history plays that toured from 1986 to 1989, and played in Chicago as part of the International Theatre Festival. In 1996 Pennington directed CST's Joseph Jefferson Award-winning production of Twelfth Night. Pennington is the author of numerous books, including User's Guides to Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

"Michael's lifelong dedication to the performance of Shakespeare and his work with Michael Bogdanov in creating the English Shakespeare Company was an inspiration to many," says Artistic Director Barbara Gaines. "Our first invitation to Michael, over a decade ago, was to direct a production for us- and indeed, many will remember a wonderful production of Twelfth Night. I am thoroughly delighted that on Michael Pennington's return to Chicago he will grace our stage with his presence. His extraordinary talent, intelligence and unique relationship with Shakespeare will both illuminate and entertain."

Pennington has criss-crossed the Atlantic bringing Sweet William to audiences throughout the United States and United Kingdom to critical acclaim. The Guardian raved that "Pennington embraces the infinite variety found in Shakespeare's world," describing the production as "Brilliant." The Sunday Times wrote "Pennington has played most of the big parts and he knows what makes them tick," and concludes, "This show is a gem."

Sweet William begins its limited engagement on February 3, with performances scheduled through February 22, 2009 Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/william.