Three actresses from the Skopje Drama Theater in Macedonia who had been cast in leading roles in an all-female version of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar at the Lit Moon World Shakespeare Festival this week in Santa Barbara will be unable to appear due to last minute visa complications in Macedonia.
The production, which will be directed by John Blondell, will include costumes and sets that were designed by a fourth Macedonian theater artist, Balgoj Micevski, who was also prevented from leaving the country. Understudies from the Lit Moon ensemble will substitute for the Macedonian actresses. Erin Brehm will be replacing Maja Panovska in the title role of Julius Caesar; Kate Paulsen will replace Biljana Dragikevik as Marc Antony; and Heather Ostberg will replace Trajanka Ilieva as Calphurnia.
“This is the first time in 10 years of bringing international artists to Santa Barbara that we’ve had a last minute visa snag,” commented Blondell.
Julius Caesar will have its world premiere on Saturday, October 18, at 7 p.m. at Center Stage Theater and will be performed again on Sunday, October 19, at 4 p.m.; Thursday, October 23, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, October 25, at 9 p.m.