When: May 10—June 2
Where: Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark, Carrie Furnace Boulevard, Swissvale, PA 15218
Price: $43—$63
Tags: #sitespecific, #sheakespeare, #tragedy, #ContentAdvisory, #MobilityAdvisory (see below)
King Lear continues Quantum’s long tradition of reimagining classics in never-before-seen ways, staging Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy amidst the majesty of the Carrie Blast Furnaces and highlighting Pittsburgh’s history as an industrial giant. The vastness and intimacy of this story of grief, loss, and family values gone awry come into focus in this tight, 2-hour edit.
Act 1 is staged in the shadow of the Carrie Deer, an iconic sculpture created from materials sourced onsite by the Industrial Arts Co-op in the late 1990s. Responding to nature’s resurgence in this post-industrial space neglected in the aftermath of the collapsed steel industry, these guerilla artists included Jeffrey Carpenter (playing Lear) and Tim Kaulen. An intermission walk takes the audience to seating in the Iron Garden for Act 2, where native plants and concrete relics evoke ancient Britain. In the twilight of a stone-ringed clearing, the audience intimately experiences the king’s exile and madness.
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Office facilities provided by Thymele Arts, in Los Angeles, CA.
Contact Level: None
Content Advisories: Death, murder, and other Shakespearean tragedy elements.
Venue is outdoors. Dress in layers and bring an umbrella. The actors use microphones and there are assistive listening devices available.
This venue is not wheelchair accessible. You’ll walk from your car to the Act 1 performance space near the Carrie Deer, then during intermission, you’ll walk to the Act 2 performance space, the Iron Garden. After that, back to your car. The paths are grass or gravel, and it is possible they might be wet and muddy. Wear substantial flat shoes or boots.
Any patrons with mobility challenges who are able to briefly leave their wheelchair may be picked up via golf cart and delivered to accessible wheelchair seating.
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