The tour includes performances of Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’ as well as a new play about the life and assassination of Malcolm X, titled ‘X’

By Skylar Mason

Photo courtesy of T Charles Erickson

This article was written for The State Press and published on Jan. 31, 2017.

In the midst of a tumultuous transition of political power, the arts have a unique ability to put today’s events into the context of history.

That is the belief of The Acting Company, a New York City-based theater company bringing its two latest productions to the Valley this week: Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” and Marcus Gardley’s new play about the assassination of Malcolm X, titled “X.”

Lisa Gutting, The Acting Company’s director of education and development, said at their core, the two productions—while set in completely different time periods—have similar themes.

“There are interesting connections on … why a man rising to power is being taken down in an assassination (and) the conspiracy theories that then come forth,” she said. “We hope the audience will make connections to what they’ve seen onstage and want to know more, to do their own historical digging into both Julius Caesar and Malcolm X.”