Spanning decades of political upheaval, this adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry VI trilogy charts England’s descent into instability following the death of Henry V. With an infant king on the throne, competing factions wage battles abroad while internal divisions deepen. The narrative continues nearly 30 years later as rivalries escalate into the War of the Roses, marking a prolonged period of civil war and shifting power.

The production is adapted and directed by Stephen Brown-Fried, whose work includes staging classical texts in contemporary contexts. The text is drawn from the plays of William Shakespeare, one of the most widely produced playwrights in the theatrical canon. Presented by NAATCO, the production continues the company’s focus on reinterpreting classical works with an Asian American ensemble.

Condensed into two parts and performed in repertory, the staging presents a streamlined version of the trilogy while retaining its central political conflicts and character arcs. The structure separates the narrative into “Foreign Wars” and “Civil Strife,” reflecting the progression from external conflict to internal collapse.