A Performance for the Ages

Reviewers and audiences alike are raving about this production — and especially about Angela Iannone’s gripping portrayal of Lear. DC Theater Arts, critic Andrew Walker White praises Iannone’s command of the role:

To find yourself in the presence of a master of the craft, whose grasp of Shakespeare’s language is profound, whose very presence onstage is magisterial, is the rarest of gifts. This, dear friends, is what you will find onstage within the friendly confines of the Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, Virginia.

Tough times call for a tough Lear, and we have one here: Angela Iannone has shown herself, time and again, to be an artist whose understanding of the Bard has a visceral truth to it, and often heart-breakingly so. Solid as Gibraltar, as a King Lear for the ages, she owns the stage, and the house itself is her noble realm.

This, simply put, is how it’s done. This, simply put, is what must be seen.

White also highlights director Paul Mason Barnes’ keen eye for balancing Shakespeare’s raw tragedy with moments of comic relief, keeping the audience engaged even as the weight of the play settles in. 

Some plays entertain. Some plays challenge. Some plays linger in the mind long after the curtain call. King Lear is one of those plays, and under the direction of Paul Mason Barnes, this production at the Blackfriars Playhouse is a searing exploration of power, loyalty, and loss.

Director’s Notes from Paul Mason Barnes

(Director Paul Mason Barnes. Photo by October Grace Media.)

King Lear is a great story — one that I love, and one that I hope you will love too. That’s what it comes down to in the theatre: engrossing stories that are fun to tell, that may entertain you, engage you, challenge you, move you, and make a difference in your life for an hour or two … maybe even stick to the ribs for some time after you leave the theatre.

In many ways, Lear is a fairy tale. Aging king; three daughters — one virtuous, two who may be less so; loyal supporters; craven villains. But because it’s Shakespeare, it’s no ordinary fairy tale. Our playwright simply can’t keep his hands off the human heart or the human soul. So, Lear provides a view into madness, into parent-child and sibling relationships, into hubris, into senility, into poverty and privilege, into physical and spiritual blindness, into self-awareness and, as always with Shakespeare, into forgiveness and reconciliation. All this rendered through some of the most powerful poetry ever written.

King Lear is a tale like no other. We hope you enjoy this story that feels important enough for us to dedicate our hearts, minds, and creative efforts to telling. I am grateful to Vanessa Morosco and the ASC staff for the opportunity to lead the Lear company in this immense and searing journey.

A Cast That Brings King Lear to Life

A production like King Lear is only as strong as its ensemble, and this cast delivers across the board.

Blake Henri (Kent) brings a grounded, heartfelt presence as Lear’s loyal defender. His transformation from trusted nobleman to scrappy, undercover guardian is both hilarious and deeply moving.

Joe Mucciolo (Edmund) is a master manipulator — oozing charm, wit, and just the right amount of menace. His Edmund is as dangerously charismatic as he is treacherous, making it easy to see why Goneril and Regan are so quick to fall under his spell.

Rasell Holt (Edgar) takes us on one of the play’s most intense journeys — from wrongfully accused son to the wild and enigmatic “Poor Tom.” Holt’s performance is physically dynamic and emotionally raw, taking us down one of the most compelling paths in the show.

Christopher Seiler (Gloucester) navigates one of Shakespeare’s most devastating arcs with precision and depth. Gloucester’s misplaced trust and ultimate reckoning mirror Lear’s fall, and Seiler’s performance takes us along every tragic turn.

Leah Gabriel (Goneril) & Raven Lorraine (Regan) bring ferocity and intelligence to Shakespeare’s infamous power-hungry sisters. Their performances balance calculated strategy with ruthless ambition, and their shifting loyalties and betrayals are unpredictable and electric.

Charlene Hong White (Cordelia & Oswald ) delivers a beautifully layered performance, balancing Cordelia’s quiet strength with Oswald’s self-serving ambition. Her Cordelia is full of conviction, a daughter who refuses to play the game even when it costs her everything. As Oswald, she shifts effortlessly into a scheming courtier, showing her versatility and command of the stage.

Summer England (The Fool) delivers a performance that is both sharp-witted and unexpectedly poignant. Their Fool isn’t just Lear’s comic relief — they’re a truth-teller in disguise, a character who knows exactly where our tragic tale is headed, even when Lear refuses to see it.

And the music? This production incorporates an unforgettable soundtrack, from Rosemary Clooney’s “This Ole House” to The Beatles’ “Fool on the Hill.” The music isn’t just for atmosphere — it adds layers of storytelling, making the emotional beats of the play hit even harder.

An Unforgettable King Lear 

ASC’s King Lear is raw, urgent, and deeply human — a production that demands to be seen and felt. From Angela Iannone’s commanding Lear to a cast that brings Shakespeare’s electrifying words to life, every moment onstage crackles with intensity. Tragedy, loyalty, betrayal, humor — this play has it all, and under the expert direction of Paul Mason Barnes, it lands with full force.

You know the story, but you’ve never seen it like this. Come witness the storm. Come see the fall. Come experience “a King Lear for the ages.”