Opera House Arts’ critic-in-residence Alicia Anstead, center, with scholar Margery Irvine at right, will facilitate two community-wide reads of Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, along with two post-show Talk Backs, as part of this year’s Shakespeare in Stonington production July 18-28.

STONINGTON — Shakespeare in Stonington founding director Julia Whitworth will return July 18-28 to Opera House Arts at the Stonington Opera House with another original production, this time of the Bard’s late romance: “Cymbeline.”

The Opera House Arts’ presentation will feature an original score by composer and musician Phillip Owen and an intricate, transformative set design, featuring an 18’ double-revolve center stage by Ray Neufeld.

Whitworth’s concept includes only a six-person, Actors Equity cast, with each cast member doubling many roles. The run includes two Community Reads of the play, one at the Blue Hill Wine Shop Monday, July 22, and one in downtown Stonington Wednesday, July 24, and two facilitated Talk Backs hosted by national cultural journalist Alicia Anstead on Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 27.

“This play captures the tensions of a changing world,” director Whitworth said. “A world in which jealousy and fear can threaten, but never stamp out, love.”

The play is based on legends of the early Celtic king Cunobelinus and takes us from Rome to Wales, providing a magical, deeply romantic look at the fantastical happenings that result from holding on too tightly to what we love best — be it power or love. The play’s most famous lines are from a funeral song in Act IV: “Fear no more the heat o’ the sun/Nor the furious winter’s rages.”

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Show times and ticket prices vary; consult www.operahousearts.org.

SCHEDULE OF FREE COMMUNITY READS & TALK BACKS

All events facilitated by Opera House Arts’ critic-in-residence Alicia Anstead

JULY 19: Post-show Talk Back with scholar Margery Irvine

JULY 22: Community Read of Cymbeline at the Blue Hill Wine Shop, 5-8 p.m. Bring a brown bag supper and enjoy some of the shop’s excellent wines as together we read and discuss the play.

JULY 24: Community Read of Cymbeline on Stonington’s working waterfront, in the conference room of Penobscot East Resource Center, 5-8 p.m. Bring a brown bag supper and enjoy some excellent wines as together we read and discuss the play.

JULY 27: Post-show Talk Back with the director and cast

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