Arizona Theatre Matters will premiere Lear: A Solo Adaptation, an innovative audio theatre interpretation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, on its YouTube channel this month.
The production features celebrated actor Michael Rawley in the title role, supported by intricate narration and an on-screen Artistic Sign Language performance. Together these elements create an immersive and accessible dramatic experience designed for both listening and visual engagement.
Adapted by Founding Artistic Director Jeanmarie Simpson, Lear: A Solo Adaptation reframes Shakespeare’s tragedy as a psychological journey unfolding in the final moments of Lear’s life. As the dying king struggles with memory, regret, and loss, fragments of his past reappear—the division of the kingdom, the betrayal of his daughters, the storm on the heath, and the heartbreaking loss of Cordelia.
At the center of the production is a single theatrical object: Lear’s cloak. Throughout the play it transforms repeatedly—from royal mantle to storm-soaked refuge, from symbol of madness to the body of Cordelia—creating a powerful visual and emotional anchor for the tragedy.
Michael Rawley, Associate Artistic Director of Arizona Theatre Matters, brings decades of performance experience to the role. Rawley has appeared on national and international stages, including the role of Scar in Disney’s The Lion King (U.S. National Tour). His work with Arizona Theatre Matters includes directing The Ferryman’s Toll and Even Unto Death, as well as performing Theseus/Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Prospero in The Tempest.
Arizona Theatre Matters produces innovative digital theatre designed for global audiences. Productions premiere on the company’s YouTube channel, where viewers from nearly 200 countries can experience theatre with captioning available in more than 300 languages.
The organization recently joined the Glendale Chamber of Commerce, strengthening its connection to the local business and arts community while continuing to expand its global reach through accessible digital theatre. More information about Arizona Theatre Matters’ Chamber membership can be found here: https://docu.team/mtiodew/index.php?v=lp&store=199788
Lear: A Solo Adaptation will premiere on the Arizona Theatre Matters YouTube channel later this month and will be available for free worldwide, in perpetuity.
Production Information
Title: Lear: A Solo Adaptation
Performer: Michael Rawley
Adaptation: Jeanmarie Simpson
Format: Audio Theatre
Producer: Arizona Theatre Matters
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About Arizona Theatre Matters
Arizona Theatre Matters (ATM) shapes theatre from the substance of accessibility itself, ensuring storytelling reaches everyone—regardless of ability, income, or location. By making accessibility an artistic foundation, we create theatre that is deeply inclusive, boldly experimental, and undeniably for all.
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