In a statement, director Michael Kahn said: "Under normal understudy procedure, these performances would not have been canceled. However, Avery Brooks' original understudy -- who also was playing the roles of Lancaster, Orcanes and Ortygius -- recently left the production because of a family emergency. The new understudy, Bill Christ, who also learned and assumed those roles, had not yet had the time to sufficiently prepare for the tremendously large role of Tamburlaine."

Patrons with questions about tickets should call the Shakespeare Theatre Company Box Office at 202-547-1122 or visit www.shakespearetheatre.org.