Rehearsals are underway for Davion Tynarious Brown’s new play Marcellus Andronicus: The Curse of House Andronici, produced by Island Shakespeare Festival (ISF) and ISF is PUMPED!

This show will travel up and down the island with performances in Langley and Oak Harbor for the deliciously spooky Halloween season from Oct. 9 through Nov. 1 at Whidbey Children’s Theatre in Langley and at Whidbey Playhouse in October. (See link for times, days and venues here: ticketsource.com/island-shakespeare-festival)
ISF Executive Artistic Director Olena Hodges, had an epiphany about the horror genre and its connection to Titus Adronicus, which Brown’s play follows as a sequel.
“Horror gives us a way to really dig into some of our most awful and confusing experiences and gives us a tool for investigation and catharsis. Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus exists somewhere in this genre, I think, and Davion’s sequel certainly follows suit,” Hodges said.
“I’ve always been super gassed up about what happens next in Titus Andronicus,” says the Australian born playwright and actor, Brown.
The obsession began in his undergrad days and later, when he understudied the part of Aaron for ISF’s 2022 production of Titus Andronicus. Brown looked at his idea again and produced a script for ISF, which Hodges welcomed immediately.
In Marcellus Andronicus: The Curse of House Andronici Lucius Andronicus, the current emperor of Rome, is on his deathbed. Throughout his rule, Lucius sought to strengthen Rome and restore the House Andronici’s name through diplomacy. His vision for the family’s future lands on Marcellus Andronicus, his adopted mixed-race son, whom he intends as his successor. Young Marcellus pokes a former enemy nation. Tensions between the nations are high, but the emperor is certain Marcellus will succeed.
Privately, Marcellus has grown curious of his true origins, which have been withheld from him. Before he can consider assuming the seat of Emperor on the world stage, he must uncover the roots of his personal identity and is disturbed to discover that his true bloodline is more warmongers than peacemakers.
The play begs the question, is it nature or nurture that decides one’s destiny?
Director Brandon Dion Gregory describes Marcellus’ journey in the play as one very human experience. “It’s about how what you inherit impacts you. Identity, deep and dark places, traumas, death, revenge, anger and how do these reveal themselves to you and impact your place in the rest of the world,” asks Gregory. “ Marcellus is trying to fill a hole in his heart and he goes on a journey to fill that hole,” says Gregory.
What the director loves and thinks so brilliant about this play is Brown’s use of characters from Shakespeare to represent the modern world.
Hodges agrees. “I think it’s a beautiful and poignant (and genuinely spooky) investigation of identity, race, adoption, family, love and humanity,” she said.
Check the website for exact dates, times and venue information at islandshakespearefest.org. ISF is always a pay-what-you-will company.
Following the Whidbey Island performances, the team will head to Tokyo, Japan, hosted by the Yokohama Theatre Group, for a limited run Nov. 20-22. ISF is delighted and thrilled to participate in this international partnership, made possible by supporters of playwright Davion Tynarious Brown.