One of the most revered novels of the twentieth-century, Fahrenheit 451 is Ray Bradbury’s dystopian tale of a bleak future where literature and knowledge are on the edge of extinction. Considered a work of science fiction when first published, Fahrenheit 451 has been debated for decades—issues of censorship, the effects of technology on society and literature, and the means by which knowledge is gained—continue to be very real concerns today.
The main character, Guy Montag, is a fireman with the frightful, but routine, job of starting fires to destroy books and the houses that contain them. When his eccentric, young neighbor, Clarisse, forces Guy to confront the emptiness of his life, he begins to question his job and the oppressive society he lives in.
Written in 1953, Fahrenheit 451 has been reprinted dozens of times since its initial publication and has achieved the rare distinction of being both a literary classic and a perennial bestseller. It was adapted for the stage by Ray Bradbury and in 1966, Fahrenheit 451 was directed by Francois Truffaut for the screen.
With its skill at creating innovative and modern productions of great works of literature, Aquila Theatre will bring new life to Ray Bradbury’s visionary parable of a society gone awry. The New Yorker describes Aquila’s productions as “The classics made relevant with superb acting and clever staging” while The New York Times exclaims “The excellent Aquila Theatre, an extraordinarily inventive and disciplined outfit.”
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About Aquila Theatre
Aquila Theatre is a 501 (c) 3 not for profit company founded in London in 1991 by Peter Meineck and based in New York City since 1999. Aquila’s mission is to bring the greatest theatrical works to the greatest number. To this end Aquila presents a regular season of plays in New York, at international festivals, and tours to approximately seventy American towns and cities each year.
In 1991, Artistic Director Peter Meineck founded Aquila Theatre with the desire to create bold reinterpretations of classical plays for contemporary audiences that sought to free the spirit of the original work and recreate the excitement of the live performance that made it become a classic play. Our mission is simple yet very ambitious – to bring the greatest works to the greatest number. We believe passionately that everyone should be forded the opportunity to engage with classical drama of the highest quality at an affordable price right in their own communities, experience arts from other places and exchange ideas, discuss and explore these works in an accessible and exciting format. Based in New York City since 1999, Aquila has gone on to win popular, critical and academic acclaim worldwide and regularly appears at international festivals with performances in places as diverse as Carnegie Hall, the Ancient Stadium at Delphi, The Los Angeles Cathedral Plaza and the White House. We are determined to bring the works of Shakespeare, ancient Greek playwrights, appropriations of both these and new American classics to vivid life and to help make theatergoing part of the fabric of American cultural life. Aquila presents a season of classical plays in New York at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, tours nationwide to between 50-70 cities per year and provides the following extensive educational programming: Shakespeare Leaders, an after-school program in Harlem and the Bronx, which trains students to perform and produce a classical play; Workshop America, a nationwide initiative designed to demystify classical drama whilst making theatre-going an un-intimidating experience; and Theatre Breakthrough, which provides a unique opportunity for students in underserved rural and urban communities to witness a live performance at a professional theatre. Aquila also recently received a National Endowment for the Humanities Chairman’s Special Award for Ancient Greeks / Modern Lives, a new national public program, which places live theatrical events, reading groups and lectures in cultural institutions to inspire people to come together to read, see, and think about classical literature and how it continues to influence and invigorate American cultural life.
