Writing, Adapting, and Translating Shakespeare for Performance
Moderated by: André Hereford
Panel: Julissa Contreras, Julián Mesri, Christin Eve Cato
Booking and details
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Dates Fri, Jan 31, 2025, 6:45pm
Venue Folger Theatre
Tickets $20 (or $150 for an All-Access Pass)
Please note: Children under the age of 4 are not permitted.
With few exceptions, Shakespeare wrote his plays based on preexisting material. Now, his own plays are being adapted, translated and reimagined across the globe to tell new stories and incorporate new perspectives. Moderated by Metro Weekly’s film and theater critic André Hereford, this panel of artists explores the challenges and opportunities of turning beloved 400-year-old texts into compelling contemporary works.
Panel
- writer, performer, podcaster, educator, and advocate Julissa Contreras
- playwright, composer, and musician Julián Mesri
- playwright, dramaturg, poet, educator, lyricist, songwriter, and performing artist Christin Eve Cato
How to attend the festival
Individual events – $20
Reading Room Festival All-Access Pass – $150
Access to all staged readings, panel discussions, workshops, and community celebrations included in the Festival.
Students – Free admission to readings and conversations
Admitted free one-half hour before event start time, with a valid ID.
Who’s Who
Christin Eve Cato
Christin Eve Cato, an award-winning luminary playwright, dramaturg, poet, educator, lyricist, songwriter, and performing artist, emerges from the vibrant streets of the Bronx, bringing with her a profound artistic narrative steeped in the rich tapestry of her Puerto Rican and Jamaican roots. Armed with an MFA in playwriting from Indiana University and a BA in political science and philosophy from Fordham University, Cato’s voice is often distinguished for her ability to create universal stories grounded in culturally specific narratives. Cato’s artistic voice harmonizes with the rhythms of Caribbean culture and the Afro-Latinx diaspora. Her journey in song and lyric writing was ignited during her formative years at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and the Performing Arts, where she was classically trained in vocal music. Immersed in the pulsating heart of New York City’s theatrical landscape, Cato has become an indispensable thread in the cultural fabric. She holds esteemed positions such as ensemble member and former Resident Dramaturg at Pregones/PRTT, a founding UNIT 52 ensemble member at INTAR Theatre, and a playwright in the WP Theater 2022-2024 Pipeline Lab. Additionally, she is a former Core Apprentice and current educator at the Playwrights’ Center, a member and affiliated playwright of the LatinX Playwrights Circle, an associated artist with the Sol Project, and a seasonal roundtable dramaturg at the Musical Theatre Factory.
Julissa Contreras
Julissa Contreras (Dramaturg) Folger Theatre: debut. Off-Broadway: Pregones/PRRT: SOLfest; Rattlestick Theater: MTA Radio Play, Theater Jam; Atlantic Theater Company: African Caribbean Mixfest; INTAR Theatre: Vámonos (HOLA Award), MicroTEATRO Festival, #1OMPF, Maria Irene Fornes Festival; Television: Everything’s Gonna Be All White, White Noize. www.julissacontreras.com @jewleesah
Julián Mesri
Julián Mesri is an Argentinean-American playwright, composer, and musician who makes work that bridges cultures, styles, and languages. https://www.julianmesri.com/