Antony & Cleopatra

Original Dance Theatre Production

In June of 2022, the Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre performed the world debut of Antony and Cleopatra. Collaborators Hancock and composer/producer Cory Gabel began with Shakespeare's original characters but moved the setting to a modern music and dance club. They chose to cast the show in a gender-fluid manner: several male roles are played by females and Cleopatra is a larger-than-life drag queen.

The creators chose this construct, not for the sake of being provocative, but more from wanting the show to speak to our current times. The romance of Antony and Cleopatra is considered to be one of the most famous–and historically important–relationships in human history. The aim was to remove any constraints of gender, sexual identity, or sexual preference, and instead allow these gloriously flawed characters to live and love without boundaries.



Filmed by Phil Cramer and Eric Wolfe, edited and mixed by Cory Gabel. Excerpts below. The entire show will be available for streaming soon, as will the complete soundtrack.

In June of 2022, the Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre performed the world debut of Antony and Cleopatra. Collaborators Hancock and composer/producer Cory Gabel began with Shakespeare's original characters but moved the setting to a modern music and dance club. They chose to cast the show in a gender-fluid manner: several male roles are played by females and Cleopatra is a larger-than-life drag queen.

The creators chose this construct, not for the sake of being provocative, but more from wanting the show to speak to our current times. The romance of Antony and Cleopatra is considered to be one of the most famous–and historically important–relationships in human history. The aim was to remove any constraints of gender, sexual identity, or sexual preference, and instead allow these gloriously flawed characters to live and love without boundaries.



Filmed by Phil Cramer and Eric Wolfe, edited and mixed by Cory Gabel. Excerpts below. The entire show will be available for streaming soon, as will the complete soundtrack.

Stream/Download the Soundtrack (coming soon!)






1. SAVE MY SOUL

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1. SAVE MY SOUL

The Soothsayer Lamprius welcomes all to Club Isis, a music and dance club where dreams are fulfilled and hearts are broken She sets the stage for the fateful events soon to come.
Caesar Octavian is a wealthy financier, and the most successful music mogul in the West. His business partner, Marc Antony, is a rock star who is growing weary and disillusioned with the music business. Relations between the two are strained. Antony has come to Club Isis to see the famous Cleopatra. He's enthralled, and they share a dance as the others look on.

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2. MEET YOUR QUEEN

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2. MEET YOUR QUEEN

Cleopatra is the main attraction at Club Isis, an enchanting drag queen fueled by drama–her emotions are as volatile as they are theatrical. She lives and loves with a ferocity that can be intoxicating, but dangerous, to those in her orbit. At her side are the mesmerizing duo Charmian and Iras. They are her dancers, her confidants, and her zealous defenders.

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3. I CAN'T GO SLOW

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3. I CAN'T GO SLOW

Caesar Octavian is a wealthy financier, and the most successful music mogul in the West. His business partner, Marc Antony, is a rock star who is growing weary and disillusioned with the music business. Relations between the two are strained. Antony has come to Club Isis to see the famous Cleopatra. He's enthralled, and they share a dance as the others look on.

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4. A LITTLE COMPETITION

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4. A LITTLE COMPETITION

Antony is married to Caesar’s sister, the beautiful and talented singer Octavia. Their marriage was arranged to bring stability to this uneasy alliance. Octavia is loyal to both her husband and her brother. She sees her role as a duty and honor, but Octavia loves Antony deeply, perhaps more than Antony loves her.

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5. ALL ALONE


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5. ALL ALONE

As Antony leaves, Octavia dances alone. She knows she is losing him to Cleopatra.

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6. GIVE - WHY - I

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6. GIVE - WHY - I

Octavian pays a visit to his sister. He is full of machismo and muscle, and is not happy with how Antony is treating his sister.

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7. GIDDY UP

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7. GIDDY UP

Antony completely falls into the culture of the club. He returns to performing with his trusted manager Enobarbus and his backup dancer Eros.

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8. MY, MY, MY

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8. MY, MY, MY

Cleopatra and her girls perform again, but she is signaling that her music will always be her top priority - not love, and certainly not men. The fates, as represented by Lamprius, are taking. notice.

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9. YOU'RE MY FLAME

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9. YOU'RE MY FLAME

Antony is determined to visit Cleopatra in her chambers, and she accepts. They bring their hearts together as one and spend the night together.

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10. TEN BEATS AT A TIME


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10. TEN BEATS AT A TIME

All of the characters of Antony and Cleopatra have their own stories and motives. Their tales are dispensed in Shakespeare's favorite medium - iambic pentameter - ten beats (syllables) at a time.

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11. BLISS (LET'S DANCE)

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11. BLISS (LET'S DANCE)

Cleopatra performs again and everyone at Club Isis is pulled into the dance. Antony senses there may be things afoot between Caesar and Cleopatra.

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12. WHAT YOU'LL GET


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12. WHAT YOU'LL GET

Octavian starts dictating terms to Cleopatra who shrewdly picks survival over her relationship with Antony. Antony sees her betrayal.

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13. HOW I BREATHE


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13. HOW I BREATHE

Antony is distraught and alone. He is torn between his love for Cleopatra and Octavia and sends them both letters describing his woe.

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Act 2

1. FORTUNE'S FOOL

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1. FORTUNE'S FOOL

Antony is lost in the depths of despair. He is hopelessly in love with the bewitching Cleopatra. Her magnetism and sensuality reinvigorated his passion and vigor in a way he thought was no longer possible. Antony believed she returned his love but has now learned of Cleopatra’s betrayal. She has made alliances with Caesar behind his back.

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2. FORGIVEN

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2. FORGIVEN

Just as Antony is ready to disavow Cleopatra forever, she begs for his forgiveness. He immediately succumbs to her again, certain that their destinies are entwined.

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3. YOU DON'T EVER SEE ME

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3. YOU DON'T EVER SEE ME

Octavia begs Antony to make amends with her brother. She meets Cleopatra first. The two dance, knowing there is a rivalry, but also a mutual respect.

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4. SHE'S MY CANDLE

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4. SHE'S MY CANDLE

Antony dances alone with Octavia. He does love her, but not enough to leave Cleopatra.

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5. EVERY MOMENT MATTERS

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5. EVERY MOMENT MATTERS

Antony tells Octavia that he is leaving her for Cleopatra. Octavia vows to persevere with grace and dignity, but then begins to sink into madness.

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6. WHEN I'M DONE


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6. WHEN I'M DONE

No sooner does Antony celebrate his reunion with Cleopatra, than Caesar offers her a new deal she feels she cannot refuse. Antony is furious at another betrayal and devastated by Cleopatra’s unloyalty to him.

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7. PRETENDING IS ENDING


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7. PRETENDING IS ENDING

Cleopatra learns of Caesar’s true intentions – he does not intend to embrace her and her music, but instead, to take control of Club Isis. Refusing to be humiliated by Caesar, she implores Charmian and Iras to spread the word that she has taken her life.

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8. WILL MY HEART GO ON?


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8. WILL MY HEART GO ON?

Having received Charmian's notice that Cleopatra has died, Antony is devastated. He implores Eros to kill him. Out of honor, Eros refuses and stabs himself instead. Antony then takes his own life, and Enobarbus delivers him to Cleopatra's chambers where he dies in her arms.

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9. TAKE MY SOUL


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9. TAKE MY SOUL

Cleopatra is distraught, and feels the walls quickly closing in. Never one to miss a dramatic turn, she and her girls perform one final snake-charming dance, then place deadly asps on their throats to take their lives.

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10. THE FATES HAVE THEIR WAY


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10. THE FATES HAVE THEIR WAY

Octavian realizes what his actions have caused. Octavia is heartbroken that Antony is dead, her descent into madness worsens. The fates have not looked kindly on the machinations of Caesar or Cleopatra, and Caesar pledges to bury the dead with honor and pageantry.

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Creatives

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Cory Gabel

Original Music and Story Adaptation

Cory is an American composer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. Cory first became known as the lead singer and songwriter for the grunge rock-era band Limestone Rome from 1993 to 2001. As a composer, Cory is known for his solo piano work and his frequent collaborations with dance companies, producing original, modern dance and ballet scores.
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Gregory Glade Hancock

Choreography, Costume Design & Direction

Gregory Glade Hancock is the founder, Artistic Director and principal choreographer for Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre. Prior to this, Mr. Hancock was the Artistic Director for the Indianapolis Dance Company. He has created over 160 dance works for the company’s expansive repertoire including such critically acclaimed pieces as: The Violin Under the Bed, Until There is No More..., The Hunchback of Notre Dame, SUPERHERO; the story of a man called Jesus, ALICE and her Bizarre Adventures in Wonderland, Under the Big Top, Joan of Arc, The Scarlet Letter, Our Town and many more.

PREMIERE CAST: GREGORY HANCOCK DANCE THEATRE COMPANY

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THOMAS JAMES MASON
Cleopatra

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ADRIAN DOMINGUEZ
Marc Antony

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ABIGAIL LESSARIS
Octavia

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CHLOE HOLZMAN
Caesar Octavian

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HANNAH BROWN
Charmian

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CAMDEN LANCASTER
Iras

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JOSIE MOODY
Eros

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OLIVIA PATTON
Enobarbus

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ZOE MAISH
Lamprius