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Riverland Theatre brings a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Richard III” to the stage in its third production of the season.

The play is an exploration of ambition, power, and the consequences of corruption to those who seek gains for their personal benefit. Richard of Gloucester shares his every move with the audience as he begins his unscrupulous climb to the top, using manipulation and murder. 

The York family comes to realize that although they might have fought to reach the safety of leadership, their most lethal enemy is among their own party.

 Susan V Hansen directs her adaptation and John Deyo is the technical director and designer. The costumes are by Jannel Howard, and the Stage Manager is Melissa Johnson. “Richard III” features a company of 26 performers.

“Shakespeare wrote according to his time. To make this universal story of gaining power accessible, the concept is adaptable to our current time throughout the globe,” said Hansen who also adapted the script. “It is about people who have power, who want power, who surround themselves with power, and the consequences of those actions on everyone. Shakespeare allows Richard to share his plots with the audience which makes us both enthralled and appalled.”

“I cut some archaic references and lengthy explanations, cut and combined some characters, changed war references to confrontations and debates, and updated some of the archaic language without losing Shakespeare’s brilliant poetic exchanges,” she added

Richard III will be performed on Feb. 26, 27, 28, and March 1 at 7 p.m. and March 2 at 2 p.m. in the Frank W. Bridges Theatre on Riverland’s Austin Campus. Individual tickets to Richard III are $13. Tickets are currently on sale at www.riverland.edu/tickets 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The online ticketing system allows customers to pay by Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. The on-campus box office will be open for in person sales in the theatre lobby one hour prior to each performance. Riverland students receive two free tickets with a valid student ID. Contact the box office at 507-433-0595 or by emailing boxoffice@riverland.edu.