Roman Politics vs. Office Politics
Why an All-Female 'Julius Caesar' is Taking on the Corporate Hellscape
February in Tampa Bay usually brings pirates and parades, but this March, The Studio@620 is bringing something much more dangerous: the Ides of March, reimagined within the cutthroat walls of a modern corporation.
We sat down with Sara Nower and Jenna Jane to discuss this brand-new adaptation of Julius Caesar, written by local award-winning artist Roxanne Fay and directed by Kristin Clippard. This production isn't just a classic play in new clothes; it’s a raw, intimate examination of power, loyalty, and civic responsibility at a moment when those questions feel urgently unresolved.
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More Than a Novelty: An Artistic Intervention
While the all-women cast is a striking visual shift, the team emphasizes it is an intentional "artistic intervention". By placing women in roles historically written for men, the production strips away inherited assumptions about authority.
As Roxanne Fay explains, these struggles are no longer confined to a male-centric world; as women increasingly hold positions of leadership, the "seeds of destruction—and the potential for repair—exist within all of us". The play interrogates who is trusted, who is believed, and who ultimately bears the responsibility when our institutions begin to fracture.
From the Roman Senate to the C-Suite
The shift to corporate America adds a layer of "brutality" that many modern workers will recognize.
- The Leader: Sara Nower plays Caesar not as a distant legend, but as a dominant leader with deep, human vulnerabilities.
- The "Nepo Baby": Jenna Jane portrays Lucius, reimagined as a personal assistant who got her foot in the door through connections—only to watch her mentors tear each other apart.
- The System: Director Kristin Clippard asks: "Was this play written in 1599, or just last week?". The production treats the text as a living inquiry into a democracy under strain, touching on themes of polarization, misinformation, and eroding public trust.
Beyond the Stage: Arts Passport Book Club
To deepen the experience, we are partnering with The Studio@620 for a special edition of the Arts Passport Book Club. We’ll be discussing The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker—a searing retelling of The Iliad from the perspective of enslaved women. It serves as a resonant companion to Julius Caesar, focusing on those often left in the shadows of "Great Men" and their wars.
- When: Sunday, March 15
- Schedule: 2:00 PM Book Discussion | 3:00 PM Performance of Julius Caesar
- Join us:
Avery Anderson
Performance Details
Don't miss this sharp, accessible adaptation featuring some of the finest talent in Tampa Bay, including Robin Gordon, Alexa Perez, and Jada Griffin.
- Where: The Studio@620
- When: March 12–22, 2026
- Tickets: $40 👉Get Tickets Here
This feature was produced in partnership with The Studio@620. Sponsored collaborations like this one allow us to provide high-quality, dedicated coverage of the Tampa Bay arts scene, ensuring that local creators have a "bigger megaphone" to reach our community.