Theatre Arts teamed up with Bunbury to produce the show as part of the department’s ongoing commitment to community outreach and connecting with other local and regional theatres.

“Master Harold and the Boys” runs through June 24 at the Henry Clay Theatre, 604 S. Third St.��

, UofL professor and head of graduate acting program, is directing, while , department chair, designed the lighting and set. The three-person cast features two recent graduates from the program, Tyler Madden and Cameron Murphy.

Kelly said the collaboration came about when he and Bunbury Producing Artistic Director Juergen K. Tossmann met and decided to work together. Kelly thought the play “Master Harold and the Boys” would work well for the Bunbury audience.

“This show has resonance with issues in the country today with the current political climate,” he said.

�ճ�����������,��������, is set in a small South African tea shop in 1950. In it, two black men and a white boy joke and dance together, defying the brutalities of apartheid through their joyous love. But issues of family, race and power fester just below the surface. A phone call triggers a catastrophic moment between them.

“Master Harold” ultimately explores the profound personal consequences of oppression.

“The sad echoes of the play are telegraphed in our own time and place,” Kelly said.  

Kelly said the actors have risen to the challenge, a sentiment reflected in a recent review.  

“Bunbury Theatre’s current offering, ‘Master Harold and the Boys,’ is a worthy production of a difficult and important play,” . “This is an excellent production of a masterful script. I truly hope we continue to see Kelly, Gawley and the other professors and students at UofL continue to reach out into the community and help usher quality work onto our stages.” 

To hear more from Kelly, Madden and Murphy about the show, tune into UofL Today with Mark Hebert at 6 p.m. June 18 on 93.9TheVille.��Or, on Soundcloud.

This unique collaboration gives students the opportunity to learn from each other and from the talented, world-class theatre educators at both organizations.

Baron Kelly, associate professor and head of acting at UofL, will play the role of King Lear.��Kelly is a four-time Fulbright Scholar, critic, historian, scholar and practitioner with numerous international credits in modern and classic productions. His Broadway credits include “Salome” with Al Pacino, “Electra” with the late Colleen Dewhurst, King Arthur in “Camelot,” The King in the 50th anniversary production of “The King and I” and Belize in the World Premiere of “Angels in America.”

“King Lear” is one of the most challenging plays in the classical canon, so much so that it’s often referred to as the Mount Everest of acting.��

Kelly promised the cast and crew has pulled out all the stops to make this version as unforgettable as possible.

“This is the University of Louisville’s version of Broadway’s ‘Hamilton,'” Kelly said.��

Charlie Sexton, artistic director at CTC, will play the Earl of Gloucester. A number of students from UofL and CTC will play supporting roles and Jennifer Pennington, artistic associate at CTC, is directing the production.

Sexton said he met Kelly in 2015 and the two have discussed ways to collaborate ever since. This production is the first such undertaking, but possibly not the last.

“We hope to continue our partnership, perhaps developing a mentorship exchange between UofL and Walden students and giving UofL students the opportunity to appear in productions with the professional company-in-residence at CTC,” Sexton said. “I also hope the experience will broaden the audience for both institutions.” 

The show is an official part of , the city-wide collaboration of more than 45 arts, cultural and educational organizations celebrating all things Shakespeare before the arrival of the national traveling exhibit, “.”

The tragedy depicts King Lear’s gradual descent into madness, after he disposes of his kingdom giving bequests to two of his three daughters based on their flattery of him, bringing tragic consequences for all.

“I love that it’s such a huge, sweeping tale, but it’s also as suburban as it is universal. The nature of fathers with their sons and daughters hits home for so many people,” Pennington said.��“We have attacked this wonderful story from the perspective of Lear’s mind. As if upon walking into the theater you have stumbled through a doorway that led into his brain, seeing through his eyes, sort of a ‘being King Lear’ approach. The world the audiences sees deteriorates as the King’s mind goes.” 

The Playhouse is on UofL’s Belknap Campus, 1911 S. Third St. “King Lear” runs Nov. 10-14 and 17-20 starting at 8 p.m. with 3 p.m. Sunday matinees. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for faculty, alumni, seniors and non-UofL students and $8 for UofL students. To order tickets or for more information, call the box office at 502-852-6814 or click .

Like all of the “Pittsburgh” plays, “Fences” explores the evolving African-American experience and race relations, among other universal themes. In it, the central character Troy Maxson is a former Negro League homerun king forced into retirement before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1946. A decade later, he struggles as a Pittsburgh garbage man – barely making ends meet. His youngest son, Cory, is a promising high school football star who bears the brunt of the demons that only Troy can see.

The play won every major prize when it debuted on Broadway in 1987, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and added to its award count during the 2010 Broadway revival starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.��A film version of the acclaimed Broadway revival is set to air this December.

, director of , is directing the production. Kelly has acted in half of Wilson’s 10-play cycle in major regional theaters across the U.S. and will draw heavily from those experiences.

“I wanted to direct this play because I am moved by the complexity and dynamics of black family relationships in the 1950s,” he said. “During that time, choices certain people had to make were limited and sometimes may have seemed socially unacceptable.��People like Troy did what they had to do to feed their children and support a family. For example, Troy felt obligated to commit a robbery as a young man.”

Thrust Theatre is located on UofL’s Belknap Campus, 2314 S. Floyd St. All plays start at 8 p.m. with 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinees. More information is .��