Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance

 "It's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then." 
Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 

In the transition from tragedy to comedy and winter to spring, Shakespeare shines a light onto those most vulnerable to the impact of the patriarchy while calling into question those who align themselves with oppressive power at all costs. The Winter’s Tale examines the egregious impact of an envious king’s unyielding commitment to his own delusions. King Leontes sets off a sinister chain of events when he banishes his wife, Hermione, for a crime uncommitted. As each domino falls, the trail points toward Hermione and Paulina whose audacity and perseverance propels this tale across two kingdoms, a bear sighting and a sixteen-year leap into the future where young Perdita’s homecoming pilgrimage down the rabbit-hole begins. A tale of distortion, transformation and confrontation, IU Theatre’s production of The Winter’s Tale utilizes the whimsical aesthetics of fantasy literature to communicate that the fight for justice necessitates community.