Actual British person Robert Bathurst has been tapped to play the title role in the Chicago premiere of King Charles III at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Bathurst, best known on this side of the pond for his roles on British TV series Cold Feet and Downton Abbey, will play the erstwhile Prince Charles in playwright Mike Bartlett’s speculative peek into a post-Elizabethan near future.
Jordan Dean (Broadway’s Mamma Mia!) will make his Chicago debut as Prince William, with Amanda Drinkall (currently appearing in American Blues Theater’s Dutchman) as the former Kate Middleton. Los Angeles–based actor Alec Manley Wilson (who appears in the film Shared Rooms, screening this Tuesday as part of the Reeling film festival) will play Prince Harry. Chicago’s Rae Gray plays Harry’s love interest, with Kate Skinner as Camilla and Sarah Chalcroft making a ghostly appearance as Princess Diana.
Others in the cast include Sean Fortunato, David Lively, Jonathan Weir, Lawrence Grimm, Demetrios Troy, Jen Johansen, Sam Pearson, Grant Niezgodski, Jeff Parker, Tyrone Phillips and Megan Storti. Gary Griffin directs. King Charles III is scheduled to run November 5–January 15 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
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