Ever wonder how Donald Trump might end up if his more ambitious offspring turned against him in his old age? Consider this adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic tragedy King Lear that’s currently being presented by CenterStage Productions at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck:
“The year is 2020. The setting is the Lear Global Office Tower and surrounding metropolis. Lear, a Titan of Industry, unexpectedly divides his holdings among his three daughters. Things take a tragic turn after the transfer of ownership: Lear’s two oldest reveal their true, contemptuous personalities, driving Lear into the streets. The expelled and walled-out Lear is driven mad with vengeance towards his ungrateful daughters, with tragic consequences for all.”
All right, maybe it wouldn’t unfold quite that way at Trump Towers; but it’s always fun to figure out how the classic elements of Tudor drama might manifest in the modern world. Bill Ross directs this new production of King Lear, starring John Adair as the powerful mogul who forfeits all when he favors flatterers and exiles honest counselors.
Performances begin at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 27 and 28, with a 3 p.m. matinée on Sunday, April 29. Tickets cost $23. To order, call (845) 876-3080 or visit https://bit.ly/2FenD0u. The Center for Performing Arts is located at 661 Route 308, 3.5 miles east of the Rhinebeck village center.