Elizabeth Rex

The Bug Theatre
3654 Navajo Street Denver

Queen Elizabeth I awaits the dawn execution of her (supposed) lover, the Earl of Essex. Needing a distraction, she summons Shakespeare's troupe, The Lord Chamberlain's Men, to perform for her. Backstage she finds the actors mourning the impending death of their lead actor, Ned Lowenscroft, who is afflicted with syphilis. Elizabeth and Ned soon come to discover they are both grieving for lost lovers and that both have had to make their careers "playing" the opposite sex. Elizabeth strikes a bargain with Ned: "If you will teach me how to be a woman ... I will teach you how to be a man." Elizabeth Rex examines gender identity, love, politics and loss -- all under the eye of William Shakespeare -- who both narrates and interacts with the other characters as he writes down their words to use in his next play, Antony and Cleopatra. This Lost & Found production can be enjoyed at The Bug Theatre in Denver.