Presents

Caius Cassius, with the help of Marcus Brutus, bring together a faction of conspirators, and together they assassinate Julius Caesar who would have been proclaimed ‘Dictator For Life’ by the Senate of Rome.

The Civil War that ensues pits Brutus and Cassius against the forces of Mark Antony and Julius’s successor, Octavius Caesar, which will set the stage for the next 500 years.

CAST

*Denotes Equity Member appearing with permission of Actor’s Equity Association (AEA) without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production.

Bruce Barton (Julius Caesar): Bruce is very pleased to be making his tenth HCTC appearance. Last season, summer of 2024, he appeared as Menenius Agrippa in Coriolanus. Previously he was in, among others, The Winter’s Tale (as Leontes), The Three Musketeers, Henry V, Hamlet and The Merry Wives of Windsor. An HCTC company member since 2014, he has also performed with Gorilla Rep, Jean Cocteau Rep, Riverside Shakespeare, and the Blue Coyote Theater Company, as well as numerous regional theaters. He was also featured in the independent film “Paradise East.”

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Hari Bhaskar* (Decius Brutus/Lucilius) - This is Hari's first production with Hudson Classical Theatre Company. His theatre credits include Biondello in Taming of the Shrew, Nick Carraway in These Gilded Souls and Amir in Disgraced. Film credits include the upcoming "The Monster" starring Djimon Honsou of "Blood Diamond" and "Gladiator" fame and "Witches Bones" to name a few. Hari completed the Evening Conservatory program at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. He is glad that he is getting to play a cunning character instead of the usual nice-boy roles that he gets XD.

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Katie Braden (Calpurnia) Katie performed with Hudson Classical Theatre in The School for Scandal (Mrs. Candour), and her most recent performance was in the solo play The Gun Show with Theatre Midwest. She was a co-founder of Ivy Theatre Company (where she acted in 8 productions) and a company member with WorkShop Theater. Other NYC: The Scarlet Letter, Romeo & Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. She is a founding member of Wherever You Go Pictures LLC, and their feature film “Unpacking” is now available on Tubi and Amazon Prime.
(www.unpackingmovie.com) (www.katiebraden.com)

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David Palmer Brown* (Caius Ligarius, Lepidus) David is a proud company member of Hudson Classical Theater Company. Playing many roles with the Company, these include Junius Brutus in Coriolanus; Porthos in The Three Musketeers 20 Years Later and The Man in the Iron Mask; the title roles in King Lear and King John; Polonius in Hamlet; de Guiche in Cyrano de Bergerac; Sorin in The Seagull; Capulet in Romeo & Juliet; and Camillo in The Winter’s Tale. Elsewhere in New York he has appeared as Judge Brack in Hedda Gabler; Sir George Crofts in Mrs. Warren’s Profession; and Pugachov in The German Bitch. He has also directed twice for the Company.

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J. Robert Coppola (Cinna, Soldier, Blood Designer) Joe has been fighting his way through the Tri-State Area for the last 16 years, performing with and choreographing for numerous shows, theater companies, and festivals. His work has won accolades across the country, including an Independent Horror Movie Awards nomination for Best Kill for the 2017 thriller, "The Moose Head Over The Mantel" and several action awards for "The Hunted: NYCSS" (also with our amazing fight team). Credits include Anton/Volscan in Coriolanus, Matt in The Fantasticks, and multiple roles in multiple renaissance fairs. He continues to work and train from his home in Brooklyn, where he is also a theatrical technician and bartender.

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Benjamin Farmer* (Marc Antony) Ben’s HCTC roles include Coriolanus in last summer's Coriolanus, Marc Antony in Antony & Cleopatra, Macduff in Macbeth, & George Seacoal in Much Ado About Nothing. Regional: SPAMalot, Les Miserables, King Lear, Titus Andronicus, Twelfth Night, Godspell, & Romeo & Juliet. TV/FILM: "Black Rabbit" w/Jason Bateman & Jude Law (Netflix), "Billions" (Showtime), "The Blacklist" & "Grimm" (NBC/Universal), & "Leverage" (TNT), "The Falls", "The Texture of Falling", & "Some Days Are Better Than Others". Member SAG/AFTRA & AEA. Graduate of AMDA Acting Conservatory in New York City. For Rocket Elizabeth Farmer. Love you, Bud!

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Mabon Gibson* (Tamara/Artemidorus/Adriana/Soldier) Mabon is a New York based actor from Ohio. They hold an MM in Vocal Performance from NYU Stienhardt. They have appeared Off-Broadway in Ximer: A New Musical. This is their first production with Hudson Classical.

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Conor Andrew Hall* (Soothsayer, Denarus) Conor is a New York-based actor from Michigan. He’s grateful to cast, production, and of course audience -- without whom none of this would be possible.

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Cem Kenar (Marullus, Demetrius) Cem has appeared in Turkish television productions including “Be My Sunshine” (STAR TV), “Sen Anlat Karadeniz” (ATV), and “Kehribar” in supporting roles. His film work includes “Groom’s Block” (dir. Ilker Savaşkurt). Stage credits include Gara at Bahçeşehir University and The Government Inspector with Lokomotif Theater Ensemble. Cem trained at the William Esper Studio (2-year Meisner program and MFA-level intensive) and holds an MFA in Acting from Bahçeşehir University. He approaches each role with curiosity, discipline, and a love for collaboration.

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Roxann Kraemer* (Portia) Roxann is a Company Member with HCTC, where she has had the privilege of playing some wonderful roles including Arkadina in The Seagull, Queen Elizabeth in Richard III, Kent in King Lear, Paulina in The Winter's Tale, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Leontine in Triumph of Love, Hecuba in Trojan Women, the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, Mistress Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Lady Olivia Surface in The School for Scandal and Volumnia in Coriolanus. Roxann has performed regionally and in New York with such companies as The Fireside Theatre, West Virginia Public Theatre, Dicapo Opera, American Chamber Opera, Inwood Shakespeare Festival, New Media Repertory, Gallery Players and Prospect Theater Company. BM and MM -Vocal Performance, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music. To my dear Greg, "I do love nothing in the world so well as you". For Mom and Dad – in my heart and mind evermore. I know you’re watching.

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Lex Laas* (Carpenter, Quintas, Soldier) ) Lex is elated to be hanging out in the park this summer, not only putting on some Shakespeare but being able to see all the UWS doggies! He is an NYC actor, director, and educator who loves to share the everyday intricacies of the human experience, all whilst creating theatre that is grounded in activism and cultural change. In NYC his work has been seen at Symphony Space, Limelight Theatre, The John Desotelle Theatre and ATA. Proud member of Actors Equity and an Associate member in the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union. Veni. Vidi. Vici. (lexlaas.com)

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David Ma (Titus) David is a theater, film and voice actor where he has starred in numerous theatrical and film productions. Notable credits include ensemble roles in the theatrical production of A Sketch of New York and lead roles in the acclaimed short films “Fumakase” and “Translation”. He has also done voice over work for the Canadian elections. Outside of performing, you will find David learning Korean, singing at open-mics and fighting demons in the boxing gym.

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Dan McVey* (Casca, Strato, Soldier) Dan is thrilled to be joining Hudson Classical Theater Company for the first time. Theater credits include: Pretty Babies (13th Street Rep) for which he received a New York Innovative Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor, Halftime with Don (New Jersey Rep), Elsinore County (Theatre Row), The Footage (The Flea) and many more. Film credits include “Bloodwork”, “On the Table” and “Maybe Next Year” among others. He trained at the William Esper Studio in New York.

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Elijah Meyers (Lucius) Elijah (he/him) is thrilled and grateful to be welcomed into this company for his first production in HCT. He is a recent graduate of NYU Tisch Drama, receiving training in the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Recent theater credits include Tullus Aufidius in Coriolanus, Caliban in The Tempest, King Ferdinand in Love's Labour's Lost, and a percussionist in Blood Wedding. He is also an independent fight choreographer, working on Macbeth, Sweeney Todd, and The Bacchae, with a mentorship under SAFD Fight Master J. David Brimmer. He is also the drummer/multi-instrumentalist of indie band Mayor's House.

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Austin Reynolds (Cassius) Austin is as glad as ever to be involved in another Hudson Classical Summer Production. This production marks his Eighth show and he is thrilled for you to be in attendance! As is tradition he would like to thank his Parents and sister for their constant support and very special thanks and gratitude go out to Deborah and Daisy for keeping him sane over the last 6 years. Enjoy the performance!

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Paul Singleton* (Brutus) Paul, an Artist in Residence, previously appeared in Henry IV Part 1, Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Pride and Prejudice, and Antony and Cleopatra with Hudson Classical. He just finished acting in the independent short film “Echoes of Justice.” New York theater includes: Grit in a Sensitive Instrument (one-man play, Vineyard Theater – Cable TV also); When I Grow Up (lead, Playwright’s Horizons Festival); Careless Love (by John Olive – NY premiere), The Winter’s Tale, The Blue Carbuncle (also Theatre Encino, Los Angeles). Regional includes: The Tempest, Idiot’s Delight, The Golden Age, Fallen Angels, The School for Scandal, P.S. Your Cat is Dead, Bedroom Farce. TV includes: “Conan O’Brien,” “All My Children,” “One Life to Live”. Thanks to Nicholas and Susane for this wonderful opportunity. As always, love to Nina and Paul.

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Kristina Swearingen (Flavius, Mettellus Cimber, Pindarus, and Soldier) Kristina is thrilled to be returning to HCTC this summer! This Alabama native has worked on various projects ranging from musical theatre to Shakespeare, choreography, scenic design, and stage combat. Kristina's ultimate goal? To perform professionally in all 50 states. She graduated from the University of Mobile with an M.A. in Musical Theatre. Her experience includes: New Stage Theatre (Jo March - Little Women), Hudson Classical Theatre Company (Senator/Fighter - Coriolanus), The Lost Colony (Dame Coleman), and Dollywood’s Twas the Night Before Christmas. In addition to performing with HCTC, you can catch Kristina this summer @thebatnyc. Follow her adventures at @swearingen_kb

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Matt Tiemstra* (Messala/Cobbler/Bartender/Maximus) Matthew is thrilled to take part in his first show with Hudson Classical Theatre Company! His theatre credits include Hamlet in Hamlet (Shakespeare Sports), Thomas Jefferson in 1776 (Palisades Players), and Cassius in Julius Caesar (World's Elsewhere). Among his produced written work is the short film "Plus One", the play "The Clockwork Boy" over one-hundred podcast episodes for Spotify's Parcast studios, and PocketFM's fantasy-adventure series "Soul of a Warrior" (credited as "Bartholomew Sly"). He used to teach Shakespeare Camp and met his wife working at a Renaissance Faire, which is all you really need to know about him.

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Alexander Zuccaro* (Octavius, Popilius Lena, Soldier) Alexander is a classically trained actor living in New York City. This is his first role in Shakespeare and his first time working with Hudson Classical Theater Company. Off-Off-Broadway he recently played the villainous role of George Wickham in Christmas at Pemberley and Julian in Erasure. Some Film and TV credits include Johnny in Tristian Reginato’s film, “What Price New York”, HBO’s “The Deuce”, and “Tsar of Tribeca”. Zuccaro studied filmmaking at Montclair State University, where he concentrated in screenwriting. He is currently developing his own projects as he continues to study and audition.

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PRODUCTION TEAM

Nicholas Martin-Smith (Director) Nicholas founded Hudson Classical Theater Company in 2004 and served as its Artistic Director for 18 years. For Hudson Classical Theater Company, he has directed, among other plays, an original adaptation of Cyrano adapted by Joseph Hamel, Romeo and Juliet (twice), as well as the award winning MARGARET: Shakespeare’s Warrior Queen, an adaptation he created from Shakespeare’s Henry IV trilogy. Mr. Martin-Smith also had the pleasure of directing the world premiere of a new adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s The D’Artagnan Romances which includes The Three Musketeers, The Three Musketeers: Twenty Years Later, and The Man in the Iron Mask, all adapted by his long-time collaborator Susane Lee.

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Sydney Dubitsky (Stage Manager) Sydney is a stage manager and director who from northeastern Connecticut. She has a B.A. in Theater Studies and a B.A. in Digital Media & Design from the University of Connecticut, and also attended the National Theater Institute Advanced Directing program in the Fall of 2023. When she’s not directing, you may find her in a variety of other roles, including playwright, costume shop hand, photographer, sound designer, and many more. You can find her work at sydneydubitsky.com

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Joy Grad (Costumer) Joy is excited to be a part of this production in Riverside Park. Joy costumed West Side Story for Cardinal Hayes High School in 1950's style. She costumes Project Connect’s show A Night at the Savoy in 1940's style, which travels to schools, senior centers, and other venues, and sometimes includes a fashion show with seniors. Joy has produced/written/directed/acted in her own vintage fashion vignettes. Joy is a dance teacher, an actor, and a performer at WNBA home games at Barclay's Center with the dance troupe the Timeless Torches. FB: Model J Vintage @modeljvintage @joygdanceart

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Jasmine Hsu (Costume Design Assistant) Jasmine has worked on a couple of productions such as Ride The Cyclone, Sweat, and The Late Wedding. She also does styling for music videos and short films as well as freelance video editing.

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Emma Lee Miller (Assistant Stage Manager) Emma is thrilled to return as an ASM with Hudson Classical Theater after hanging up her gloves in 2019 where she ASMed all three shows of that summer season. Emma is excited to have finally leveled up into assisting with the blood bags and squibs for this production. Many thanks to Susane and Nicholas for welcoming her back, and to Gillian for teaching her so much about the spirit of ASM-ing.

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New York Combat for Stage and Screen (Fight Direction): NYCSS has been active in NYC since 1999. Their goal on every production is to excite and captivate an audience with violence that enhances the story being told. Whether on film, tv, or stage, they create safe, realistic, & truthful moments that reveal character. For more details: nycstagecombat.com

Tony Mita (Fight Director) has been training & working in this art for over 14 years and is driven by a mix of his passions for historical martial arts and nerd culture to create a blend of martially realistic with out-of-this-world fantastical in his work.

Olivia Ball (Assistant Fight Director) has been training with NYCSS for 6 years, and loves the empowering and collaborative nature of fight work--from classic swashbuckling to super-powered punches; she also loves passing on her favorite moves to her Drama students at the Brearley School.

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Susane Lee (Supervising Producer) Susane is the Executive Artistic Director of Hudson Classical Theater Company and founder of W.A.G.G. (Writers-A-Go-Go). She has adapted & directed several productions for HCTC, including Pride & Prejudice, Lysisarah, and co-directed Emma. She has also directed for 365 Women a Year Playwrights Festival and received Best Director Finalist, twice, for the Take Ten Theater Festival. She most recently directed Lucy Wang’s one-woman show, The Silver Menace. Susane has adapted many classics for the stage, including six Alexandre Dumas novels, and three Jane Austen novels. Susane began her career in television where she was at WGBH/NOVA series for several years, then at Channel 13 where she traveled to more than 100 cities across the US., producing and writing one hour documentaries for 12 years. She’s a Lifetime member of the Writers Guild of America, East and a member of SAG/AFTRA. Susane published a memoir in MORE Magazine and was a Finalist for the Artistic Achievement Award given by the League of Independent Theater in the fall of 2024. She will be adapting this summer’s productions of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility and The Lady from the Sea, by Henrik Ibsen.

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