In Time of Roses

In Time of Roses

April 26 - May 4, 2013
Rose
Principal People: 

Director Ashley Smith

Event Attributes

Estimated Length: 
1 hour and 30 minutes with no intermission
Program Notes: 

In Time of Roses is a sexy, fast-paced, political thriller, based on the true story of Margaret of Anjou, a woman forced to lead an army to save her family.

Most of the play’s text was taken directly from William Shakespeare’s Henry VI trilogy and from his sonnets.

Playwright Ashley Smith, who also directs the performance, says, “My goal is to distill the story of Margaret of Anjou in chronological sequence, focusing on the love triangle between her, King Henry VI and the Earl of Suffolk. I find that this story thread, which I’ve pulled from Shakespeare’s much larger Wars of the Roses tapestry, makes for a great play all by itself.”

Join guest panelists Professor Alex Huang from George Washington University and Dr. Michael Olmert for a post-performance discussion on April 28 following the 2:00pm performance. Join the artists for a post-performance discussion after the May 2 performance.

Review by DC Metro Theater Arts

Margaret of Anjou was a fascinating historical player, with many different facets—In Time of Roses would have succeeded more by focusing on one facet, rather than many.

– TIFFANY DRAUT, DC Metro Theatre Arts, Sunday, May 5, 2013

Interview with Prince George's Community Television

Watch an interview between Ashley Smith, writer and director of In Time of Roses and Gailyn Gwin, Arts and Entertainment reporter for Prince George's Community Television.

Preview by The Diamondback

After three years of thinking, organizing and writing, the theatre professor had finally done it: He pieced together a play about one of the most mentioned Shakespearean characters, Margaret.

His original work, In Time of Roses, which opens tonight at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, is billed as a “sexy, fast-paced political thriller” and discusses the consequences of political ambition.

– BEENA RAGHAVENDRAN, The Diamondback, Thursday, April 25, 2013

Preview by The Gazette

Margaret, the wife of King Henry VI and queen consort of England, lived a life filled with surprises, love and danger. She’s not as well known as some of Shakespeare’s fiendish females…but she still carries a powerful punch in the wicked department.

Margaret’s story is spread throughout several of Shakespeare’s plays. Playwright and director Ashley Smith liked the story so much, he decided to put all of the scenes featuring Margaret together to tell her story.

– WILL C. FRANKLIN, The Gazette, Thursday, April 25, 2013

Dramaturgical blog

Read the In Time of Roses dramaturgical blog, created by the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies.

Resources from the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library

Our neighbors at the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library have compiled a list of available resources relevant to this performance:

Books

Film

Audio Books