Stephen King meets Shakespeare in Janus Theatre's 'King of Shadows'

For anyone who delights in enjoying their theater with a twist, the Janus Theatre Company is set to begin its 18th season with a show that promises to deliver.

"King of Shadows" can be seen as a science fiction fantasy tale with a poetic bent, described by artistic director Sean Hargadon as "Stephen King meets Shakespeare," with a starting point that resembles a CSI episode.

The show opens Friday, Nov. 6, in the Elgin Art Showcase.

"It's wonderful because it starts out so procedural and then it goes off," said Hargadon. "It's written in such a way that it unravels itself slowly. It's got a lot of Stephen King creepiness about it."

Fans of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" should recognize reflections of that otherworldly story in the script, he said.

"It's actually a thriller, mixing the supernatural with Shakespeare," said Hargadon.

Hargadon, the theater company's founder, said the group has produced shows in a variety of spaces, including coffee houses and storefronts.

"We realized we liked working in found spaces," he said. "We've always had an Elgin connection. We started in Arlington Heights."

Hargadon said this season marks Janus Theatre's return to the Elgin Art Showcase, an art deco-style building in downtown Elgin that features what he calls a flexible ballroom, allowing for different types of staging, and a 20-foot ceiling.

"King of Shadows" will be presented on a thrust stage with seating for about 40 audience members, creating an intimate, up-close theater experience for all theatergoers, he said.

The show has just four characters: Jessica, a graduate student, her boyfriend, her sister and a homeless boy she encounters on the street and befriends.

Jaime Patriarca, a Chicago-based actor, plays Jessica. She graduated from Millikin University in 2014, took a year off to travel through Europe, staying mostly in France, and returned to Chicago to pursue her career.

The role is a departure from what she has become accustomed to, she said.

"I've done quite a bit of musical theater," she said, adding that she also has an affinity for Shakespeare.

This show presents the audience with an intriguingly blurred line between reality and make-believe, Patriarca said.

"It's very different from a lot of other things I've worked on," she said. "There are aspects of magic and mysticism. It's a very tricky play. It'll be different from what people are used to."

The show runs through Sunday, Nov. 22. Tickets are $16.

For the first time, Janus Theatre is offering a subscription series this season. Theatergoers can experience all four shows for a total price of $50.

Hargadon said the subscription option is Janus' way of giving audiences a way to experiment with shows that may not be immediately recognizable without making a huge financial investment.

"There's really no risk. We want to give people a package they can utilize and take advantage of without a lot of risk," he said.

The season's second show is set for a February run. Titled "An Iliad," the play is a modern retelling of Homer's Trojan War story that addresses "conflicts throughout the ages," Hargadon said.

In April and May, two shows will be presented on rotating, alternate dates.

First, there is Shakespeare's "Hamlet," presented in a streamlined, abbreviated fashion.

Then there is "Wittenberg," the story of Hamlet as a young man.

"It's a very funny piece," said Hargadon.

He recommends seeing "Wittenberg" prior to seeing the company's production of "Hamlet."

Hargadon said he and the Janus Theatre Company are pleased to be back in Elgin, where the group receives financial assistance from the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, an arrangement that helps keep ticket prices low.

Elgin currently is undergoing a resurgence of artistic activity, Hargadon said.

"We're really lucky. We're working in a community that's associated with the arts. There's activity happening everywhere. It's really becoming an incubator for activity," he said. "It's a thrill, because it's encouraging. Work attracts work."

For tickets or details, visit www.janusplays.com

If you go

What: Janus Theatre Company's production of "King of Shadows"

Where: Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., Elgin

When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 6-22

Tickets: $16; $50 for four-show season subscription

Details: <a href="http://www.janusplays.com">www.janusplays.com</a>