The Atlas Shakespeare Company Presents a Triumphant Retelling of Richard III

Following acclaimed productions of Henry VI Parts 1 and 2 and Henry VI Part III, the Atlas Shakespeare Company now completes the Bard’s first tetralogy with a riveting Richard III.

Following the long civil conflict in which the Yorks defeated the Lancasters, King Edward IV (Ethan Baker) sits atop the throne, depressed and ailing. His power-hungry brother Richard (Zachary C. Clark), the Duke of Gloucester, sees (and eventually seizes) an opportunity. Thus, he begins to systematically eliminate everyone who stands in his way, while wooing the widowed Lady Anne (Christa Souza) to his side. He imprisons his elder brother George (Yeshua Ellis), Duke of Clarence, in the infamous Tower, where he later also famously banishes his young nephews, Richard the Duke of York (also Souza) and Prince Edward (Charlotte Blacklock), to prevent any competition to the throne. The less-than-legitimate new King Richard’s reign of terror is finally threatened by Henry Tudor (Bradley Viktor), Earl of Richmond, who raises an army against the Machiavellian murderer.

The play completes the War of the Roses saga with a compelling story of betrayal and sociopathic serial killing that ends in a bloodbath. Along the way we watch the titular character go from scheming to murder to full-on madness, with lots of backstabbing along the way, most of it literal. We learn that a cask of wine is a great place for a murder victim. And what show would be complete without a game of “catch the severed head”?

As the conniving cad of the title, Clark delivers a tour-de-force performance: charming, devious, funny and sly. He skillfully uses the audience as his “co-conspirators”, delivering asides and glances that make us feel part of the story.

“(Richard III) is very insecure in a lot of ways,” said director Adriana Alter in a talkback following a recent performance. “And very motivated by the need for external validation which he’s trying to get from the audience. We essentially become his imaginary friends. He’s trying to impress with how clever he is.” Clark is excellent at portraying Richard’s rollercoaster ride from the heights of power to the depths of slipping sanity. “He’s going to have to come face to face with the fact that he hates himself,” said Alter. “His coping mechanisms for keeping up, that pretense starts to melt away.”

Clark is joined by a sterling cast including Tonia E. Anderson as Cecily the Dutchess of York; Joscelyne Wilmouth as Queen Elizabeth; Nick Stevens as her brother Anthony (Lord Rivers); Matthew Tiemstra as Henry, the Duke of Buckingham; Quinlan Welch as Thomas Grey; Nicholas Grevera as William (Baron Hastings); Timm Coleman as Thomas Stanley; Chris Clark as Sir Richard Ratcliffe; and Gabe Girson as lawyer Sir William Catesby. (Baker, Blacklock, Sousa, Ellis, Viktor, and Welch each play two roles to round out the kingdom.)

The costumes—designed by Madeline Rostmeyer and coordinated by Nancy Nichols—are glorious in their elegance, and the sterling cast delivers Shakespeare’s iconic dialogue with a delighting deftness that captivates with every turn of phrase. Atlas’ mission statement is to present Shakespeare’s work as it was intended, and they do so here with a production that is true to the text and to the era it was initially performed, but still completely accessible to a 21^st Century theatregoer.

Director Alter has presented a fantastic edition of the oft-performed classic, neatly trimmed and dynamically realized with all story beats intact. It is immensely engaging—from Richard’s first sinister speech, to the appearance of the ghosts of all his victims, to the incendiary final battle. That last sequence is astonishing, an edge-in-your-seat experience delivered with dance-like precision by the cast under the expert guidance of fight choreographer Leighton Schlanger.

This explosive conclusion to the saga is a positive triumph for Alter and Producer and Founder Alexander Nero. It’s a must-see for this “Winter of Discontent” or for any season.

Trade your kingdom for a horse and go see Richard III at the Wild Project through March 1, 2026. Learn more at atlasshakespearecompany.com/.