Theater at Monmouth On Tour will bring their innovative approach to Shakespeare’s “Henry IV” to the Strand Theatre stage with a performance on Friday, Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m. The show is suitable for ages 11 and up, and tickets are on a Pay-What-You-Can sliding scale.

“Henry IV Part 1” is the story of Prince Hal (the future King Henry V of England), a 15th century wild child who carouses with criminals and commoners, helps his loser chums rob his father’s treasury, and spends all his time in seedy bars. This, of course, all takes place before Prince Hal’s glorious “reformation,” when he transforms himself from a total disgrace into a noble leader, who helps put down a rebel uprising that threatens his father’s reign, and kills the guy who’s been bad-mouthing him all over England. 

“Henry IV Part 1” is an abridged performance of the play by William Shakespeare. Running time is 90 minutes. More information about this show can be found on the Strand Theatre website.

Theater at Monmouth is a year-round repertory company of professional theatre artists from across Maine and the United States. Founded in 1970, the Theater was named "The Shakespearean Theater of Maine" by the Maine State Legislature in 1975. The mission of Theater at Monmouth is to present innovative approaches to Shakespeare and other classic plays through professional productions that enrich the lives of people throughout the state of Maine. In its 50 seasons, TAM has presented more than 350 productions in its three-month Summer Repertory Season, including 28 world premieres, entertaining audiences from 36 states; and through Education Tours in the fall and spring annually reaching more than 15,000 students. Since 2005, Shakespeare in Maine Communities has taken the Bard on the road through 60 to 90-minute versions of Shakespeare with five to eight actors. Plays are fully designed, rehearsed, and tour for a month to schools and community centers. 

This presentation is part of the Strand Family Series, which presents live arts programming with a Pay-What-You-Can ticket structure, so that economic status is not a barrier to accessing these opportunities for enrichment. The Strand Theatre presentation of Henry IV Part 1 was made possible thanks to sponsorship support from the Rockland Harbor Hotel and grant funds from the Maine Arts Commission.

Tickets for Henry IV Part 1 are Pay-What-You Can ($0 - $20) and are available at  www.rocklandstrand.com, by calling 207-594-0070, or at the lobby box office when the theater is open for shows. The Strand Theatre is located at 345 Main Street, Rockland.