Bard in Boston

Come see the show!

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:17:19 GMT

Shakespeare's Ghost

The Actors Company Presents:

“Shakespeare’s Ghost”

The Bard himself has returned to comment on his life, his works, and how the centuries have treated him. Actor J.T. Turner brings Shakespeare to life, and presents an evening filled with stories about Shakespeare, his works, productions through the ages, and passages from many of the Bard’s best works.

Playing at the Provincetown Theater, 238 Bradford Street, Provincetown, MA 02657

SEPTEMBER 12 AT 7:30PM, SEPTEMBER 13 AT 2PM AND 7:30PM

Phone: (508) 487-9793

Toll Free: (800) 791-7487

Romeo and Juliet

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:15:13 GMT

The Lonesome Coyote Theater Company is putting on a free production of Romeo and Juliet in Waltham, at Gore Place.

Performances are tomorrow at 7 pm, Saturday at 7 pm, and Sunday at 4 pm. It's a bare bones, outside performance: bring chairs or a blanket to sit on (and bug spray).

I went tonight, and thought it was mixed. Those who were good were really good, and those who were eh were pretty eh. Happily, all the major actors were good, and there were some nicely done fight scenes.

"How Shakespeare Won the West" opens Sept. 5

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:55:09 GMT

On September 5, Shakespeare moseys into town in a whole new way...

How Shakespeare Won the West
by Richard Nelson
Directed by Jonathan Moscone
September 5 - October 5, 2008
World premiere

Boston University Theatre
264 Huntington Avenue, Boston

617 266-0800
huntingtontheatre.org

During the California Gold Rush, an eccentric and enterprising troupe of New York actors ventures West seeking fortune and fame. They’ve heard that entertainment-starved ‘49ers have a genuine enthusiasm for classic plays and show their appreciation by paying in gold. But with surprisingly stiff competition and complicated romantic entanglements, not to mention Indian attacks, the cross-country adventure is more than they bargained for. A highly entertaining and theatrical new play by the Olivier and Tony Award-winning playwright Richard Nelson (Goodnight Children Everywhere, James Joyce’s The Dead, and Two Shakespearean Actors).

"Nelson is arguably the most thoughtful and prolific of America's playwrights." - Newsday

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:53:09 GMT

Gurnet Theatre is producing this, with performances in Duxbury at Myles Standish Monument State Reservation (August 7-10, 5:30 pm), and in Boston at the Boston Playwright's Theater (August 15-17, 8 pm, 3 pm on Sunday). All performances are free.

*hat tip* to Gilana for pointing me to this.

The Gazebo Players of Medfield present Macbeth for FREE!

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:59:17 GMT

The Gazebo Players of Medfield Present William Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Directed by Edward Eaton

Our 7th annual Shakespeare in the Park production

July 19, 20, 26, 27 next to the Medfield Public Library

August 2, 3 at the Music Court in Bird Park , Walpole

All performances free at 5:00 PM

Performances move indoors in inclement weather. Details and directions available at www.gazeboplayers.org

Shakespeare in the Square (Harvard, that is), with Love's Labours Lost and a "Shakespeare Slam."

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:07:30 GMT

Swiped from http://www.harvardsquare.com/Home/Articles/Shakespeare-in-the-Square-Festival.aspx

The Harvard Square Business Association Presents
Shakespeare in the Square
August 1st, 2nd and 3rd 2008

Actors Shakespeare Project, American Repertory Theatre, and Revels bring exceptional, out of the box, profoundly original

Outdoor Elizabethan Theatre to Harvard Square!

Please join us this summer for a celebration of outdoor Elizabethan theater throughout Harvard Square featuring three highly celebrated, award winning, and nationally acclaimed local theater organizations: American Repertory Theatre, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, and Revels. Each evening performers from the respective theater groups will rotate though their repertoire of Elizabethan performances including a full scale production of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost. Throughout the square, restaurants, retailers and cultural organizers will participate in creating an unforgettable Elizabethan Scene.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS:

American Repertory Theatre Performs Shakespeare Slams!

Shakespeare Slams is a modern-day, plugged-in Shakespearian mash-up featuring 18 performers from the American Repertory Theatre’s A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theatre Training in a multidisciplinary, electric, energetic approach to the Bard’s verse. Marrying Shakespeare with a wide range of contemporary music, movement, and culture, Shakespeare Slams seeks to bring the lives of Shakespeare’s characters to a diverse 21st century audience.

When: Friday, August 1st 6:00 pm, Saturday, August 2nd 4:30 pm, Sunday, August 3rd at 7:45 pm.

WHERE: Winthrop Park (corner of JFK and Mount Auburn Street).

PRICE: Free!

Actors’ Shakespeare Project Presents Love’s Labour’s Lost:

Actors’ Shakespeare Project will present an encore presentation of their highly successful interpretation of Love’s Labour’s Lost in conjunction with the Harvard Square Business Associations’ Shakespeare in the Square. This production is directed by Benjamin Evett and features Steven Berkhimer*, Marianna Bassham*, Jason Bowen, Khalil Flemming, Sarah Newhouse*, and Michael Forden Walker*

Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost is a sweet and hilarious dance of courtship. Four young lords swear an oath to give up the company of women for three years and devote themselves to study. Soon after, the Princess of France arrives with her three friends and the four lords are instantly smitten. The women decide to torment the men, and boy, are they easy marks! In ASP’s rendition of this classic comedy, six actors play sixteen roles—dancing back and forth between male and female, pursuer and pursued!

WHEN: Friday August 1st at 7:15pm, Saturday 2nd at 7:30pm and Sunday 3rd at 3:00 pm

WHERE: Winthrop Park (corner of JFK and Mount Auburn Street).

PRICE: Free!

PREVIOUS REVIEWS:

"...big-hearted, brimming with wit, and tinged with the quiet but sure knowledge that laughter doesn't last forever." -Louise Kennedy, Boston Globe

“This tiny company has huge heart, endless imagination, and gumption to burn. You can’t help but walk away from their raucously presented, but tightly organized, interpretation of Love’s Labour’s Lost already anticipating the glories their fourth season” –Killian Melloy, Boston Herald (EDGE)

REVELS REPRESENTS at SHAKESPEARE IN THE SQUARE

The area immediately around Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre was filled with musicians, jugglers, dancers and other disreputable street performers. Revels is proud to represent the earthy side of Shakespeare in the Square, and under the leadership of the disgruntled former Shakespeare employee and Morris dancer, Will Kemp, will provide entertainment for the groundlings. Expect lusty music from Tom Zajac and friends, fine singing from Tapestry with Doug Freundlich, instrumental fireworks from Renaissonics, as well as Morris and Sword dancing and expert heckling of the actors.

-8

Shakespeare in the Square Event Schedule

Friday, 8/1/08

5:00pm - 7:30pm: Commonwealth Morris Men/ Orion Sword Dancers perform around Harvard Square.

6:00pm – 6:45pm Shakespeare SLAMS – American Repertory Theatre’s A.R.T. Institute.

7:15pm - 9:45pm Loves Labour’s Lost – Actor’s Shakespeare Project.

Saturday, 8/2/08

2:45pm – 4:15pm Renaissonics Performance.

4:30pm – 5:15pm Shakespeare SLAMS – American Repertory Theatre’s A.R.T. Institute

7:30pm - 10:00am Loves Labour’s Lost – Actor’s Shakespeare Project

Sunday, 8/3/08

1:30pm - 3:30pm Commonwealth Morris Men around Harvard Square

3:00pm - 5:30pm Loves Labour’s Lost – Actor’s Shakespeare Project

5:00pm - 7:00pm Orion Sword Dancers around Harvard Square

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Tapestry and the Tom Zajack Trio performs

7:45pm - 8:30pm Shakespeare SLAMS – American Repertory Theatre’s A.R.T. Institute

As You Like It

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:18:40 GMT

For those who lost track, Shakespeare on the Common starts this Friday and runs thru the first Sunday in August.

As You Like It

As You Like It

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:51:49 GMT

Just a reminder that this free production is starting next week.
Directed by Steven Maler, founding artistic director of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company.

Boston Common, Boston
July 16 - 17, 8pm, Open Dress Rehearsals
July 18 - August 3, 8pm Tue-Sat, 7pm Sundays

Forest Park, Springfield
August 8 - 10, 7:30pm Fri-Sun

Sponsor Citi's press release.

This week!

Wed, 28 May 2008 12:29:52 GMT

The Actors Company Presents
Shakespeare's Ghost
The Bard himself has returned to comment on his life, his works, and how the centuries have treated him. Actor J.T. Turner brings Shakespeare to life, and presents an evening filled with stories about Shakespeare, his works, productions through the ages, and passages from many of the Bard's best works.
Two Shows Only- The West End Theater, 1 Washington St., Gloucester, Ma.
Friday & Saturday
May 30-31
7:30pm

Tickets $15- 508-942-9938

Call for Papers: Theatre Research Conference

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:40:27 GMT

The American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR) will be holding their conference in Boston, November 5-9, 2008.

Within the organization, the Shakespearean Performance Research Group provides "an ongoing home for the study of Shakespearean performance," and have just issued their call for papers:

For the 2008 conference, to be held in Boston, November 5-9, we seek papers that address issues relating to our three subgroups:
Shakespearean Performance Histories;
Shakespearean Performance Theories; and

Shakespearean Performance Practices.
To wit:

What makes a "Shakespearean performance" count as "Shakespearean"?

Is this a genre of performance that is particularly defined/deformed/undone by textuality, authorship?

What kinds of analytic strategies seem required by this genre of performance?

Selected papers will be assigned to one of the three subgroups and the conveners will organize on-line communication of subgroup members before the conference. At the three-hour conference session, papers will be discussed first within the subgroups, after which the groups will come together to exchange ideas. We will seek to continue discussion of the work of the group's members after the conference, in an on-line forum moderated by the group's conveners.

Shakespeare Auditions

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:28:48 GMT

Where Who When What Details

Plymouth, MA Plymouth Community Theatre May 27 and 28 Much Ado About Nothing Auditions will be held for Much Ado About Nothing at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St., and will be scheduled in 15-minute blocks from 6 to 9 p.m. Call Jeannine Washburn, executive director of the theatre, at 508-209-0025 or e-mail jwashburn29@comcast.net to set up an appointment. Actors need to have a two-minute classic (from Shakespeare) monologue prepared. Rehearsals will begin June 22 and run for six weeks. Directed by Dani Duggan, Much Ado will be presented as an outside event on the waterfront Aug. 1, 2, 8 and 9. It will be free and open to the entire community and region.

North Adams, MA Main Street Stage May 31 and June 1 Romeo And Juliet Open casting call for their summer production of William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet. Auditions are Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1. The production is directed by Melissa Quirk and will run weekends in August with a special performance of "Shakespeare At The Pond" in beautiful Windsor Lake Park, North Adams. Auditions for the roles of Romeo Or Juliet are from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m on Saturday May 31. All other roles will be auditioned from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. For more information please contact Alexia Trainor at 413-652-5282 or lex@mainstreetstage.org.

Where	Who	When	What	Details
Plymouth, MA	Plymouth Community Theatre	May 27 and 28	Much Ado About Nothing	Auditions will be held for Much Ado About Nothing at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St., and will be scheduled in 15-minute blocks from 6 to 9 p.m. Call Jeannine Washburn, executive director of the theatre, at 508-209-0025 or e-mail jwashburn29@comcast.net to set up an appointment. Actors need to have a two-minute classic (from Shakespeare) monologue prepared. Rehearsals will begin June 22 and run for six weeks. Directed by Dani Duggan, Much Ado will be presented as an outside event on the waterfront Aug. 1, 2, 8 and 9. It will be free and open to the entire community and region.
North Adams, MA	Main Street Stage	May 31 and June 1	Romeo And Juliet	Open casting call for their summer production of William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet. Auditions are Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1. The production is directed by Melissa Quirk and will run weekends in August with a special performance of "Shakespeare At The Pond" in beautiful Windsor Lake Park, North Adams. Auditions for the roles of Romeo Or Juliet are from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m on Saturday May 31. All other roles will be auditioned from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. For more information please contact Alexia Trainor at 413-652-5282 or lex@mainstreetstage.org.

Small Company Shakespeare: New Hampshire and Vermont

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:28:17 GMT

Where Who What When Details

Jaffrey 16th Annual Jaffrey Rindge Shakespeare Festival, Friday, May 23, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Plays performed by more than 200 students from Conant High School, Jaffrey Rindge Middle School, Rindge Memorial School and Jaffrey Grade School, Historic Jaffrey Meetinghouse.

Durham Amare Cantare Renaissance Performing Arts Festival June 1 On Sunday, June 1, the chamber chorus Amare Cantare will host an afternoon of Renaissance music, theater, dance, crafts, and activities in the beautiful pastoral setting of the Mill Pond Center for the Arts in Durham. This event will feature short indoor and outdoor performances repeated throughout the afternoon, as well as demonstrations, vendors, and food.

The members of Amare Cantare will divide up into smaller groups to sing French, Italian, and English Renaissance madrigals. Other performers will include The Classics Company performing Simply Shakespeare, The Woodman Viol Consort, The Footnotes Recorder Ensemble, students from Moharimet Elementary School performing Shakespeare scenes, and more.

Details @ amarecantare.com

Where	Who	What	When	Details
Jaffrey		16th Annual Jaffrey Rindge Shakespeare Festival,	Friday, May 23, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.	Plays performed by more than 200 students from Conant High School, Jaffrey Rindge Middle School, Rindge Memorial School and Jaffrey Grade School, Historic Jaffrey Meetinghouse.
Durham	Amare Cantare	Renaissance Performing Arts Festival	June 1	On Sunday, June 1, the chamber chorus Amare Cantare will host an afternoon of Renaissance music, theater, dance, crafts, and activities in the beautiful pastoral setting of the Mill Pond Center for the Arts in Durham. This event will feature short indoor and outdoor performances repeated throughout the afternoon, as well as demonstrations, vendors, and food. The members of Amare Cantare will divide up into smaller groups to sing French, Italian, and English Renaissance madrigals. Other performers will include The Classics Company performing Simply Shakespeare, The Woodman Viol Consort, The Footnotes Recorder Ensemble, students from Moharimet Elementary School performing Shakespeare scenes, and more. Details @ amarecantare.com

Also, Shaker Bridge Theatre in Enfield, NH, is tentatively planning outdoor Shakespeare-in-the-park for this summer.

And in Vermont, Rutland Youth Theatre is planning an upcoming touring Shakespeare performance across Vermont. This year's summer Shakespeare play will be A Winter's Tale.

Small Company Shakespeare: Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:27:15 GMT

Massachusetts

Where Who What When Details

Sudbury LSB Players MacBird May 22 - 24 LSB Players presents Barbara Garson's controversial play MacBird May 22-24 at 7:30 p.m., at Rogers Theatre, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, 390 Lincoln Road, Sudbury. Set in the 1960s, the production combines elements of Shakespeare's Macbeth with events of the era. Tickets are $12/$6. Call 978-443-9961, ext. 2241.

Gloucester The Actors Company Shakespeare's Ghost May 30 and 31, 7:30 p.m. Actor J.T. Turner brings William Shakespeare to life, as he talks with the audience about his life and his work and reads selections from Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Richard the Third, Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry V, As You Like It, and King Lear. $15 at West End Theater, 1 Washington St. Partial proceeds will go to Partners in Development to help them with their work in Guatemala. 978-281-0680.

Dartmouth The Classical Players Theater Company The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (Abridged) Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 8, at 2 p.m. At Runningbrook Vineyards in Dartmouth, MA. For more information, call 508-287-6306 or e-mail classicalplayers@hotmail.com.

Westport The Classical Players Theater Company The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (Abridged) Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 29, at 11 a.m. At Westport Rivers Vineyards in Westport. For more information, call 508-287-6306 or e-mail classicalplayers@hotmail.com.

Where	Who	What	When	Details
Sudbury	LSB Players	MacBird	May 22 - 24	LSB Players presents Barbara Garson's controversial play MacBird May 22-24 at 7:30 p.m., at Rogers Theatre, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, 390 Lincoln Road, Sudbury. Set in the 1960s, the production combines elements of Shakespeare's Macbeth with events of the era. Tickets are $12/$6. Call 978-443-9961, ext. 2241.
Gloucester	The Actors Company	Shakespeare's Ghost	May 30 and 31, 7:30 p.m.	Actor J.T. Turner brings William Shakespeare to life, as he talks with the audience about his life and his work and reads selections from Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Richard the Third, Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry V, As You Like It, and King Lear. $15 at West End Theater, 1 Washington St. Partial proceeds will go to Partners in Development to help them with their work in Guatemala. 978-281-0680.
Dartmouth	The Classical Players Theater Company	The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (Abridged)	Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 8, at 2 p.m.	At Runningbrook Vineyards in Dartmouth, MA. For more information, call 508-287-6306 or e-mail classicalplayers@hotmail.com.
Westport	The Classical Players Theater Company	The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (Abridged)	Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 29, at 11 a.m.	At Westport Rivers Vineyards in Westport. For more information, call 508-287-6306 or e-mail classicalplayers@hotmail.com.

Rhode Island

Where Who What When Details

Pawtucket Gamm Theatre The Taming of the Shrew Now thru June 15 Sandra Feinstein Gamm Theatre, 172 Exchange St. 723-4266; Info at gammtheatre.org.

Little Compton The Classical Players Theater Company The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (Abridged) Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 15, at 2 p.m. At Sakonnet Vineyards in Little Compton, R.I. For more information, call 508-287-6306 or e-mail classicalplayers@hotmail.com.

Where	Who	What	When	Details
Pawtucket	Gamm Theatre	The Taming of the Shrew	Now thru June 15	Sandra Feinstein Gamm Theatre, 172 Exchange St. 723-4266; Info at gammtheatre.org.
Little Compton	The Classical Players Theater Company	The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (Abridged)	Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 15, at 2 p.m.	At Sakonnet Vineyards in Little Compton, R.I. For more information, call 508-287-6306 or e-mail classicalplayers@hotmail.com.

Take heed, ere summer comes

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:25:57 GMT

King John and Greenblatt & Mee's Cardenio have only just opened in Boston and Cambridge, but Memorial Day brings with it thoughts of summer.

So, here's a look ahead at what's in store, starting with the major companies:

Play by Company Opens in Location

All's Well That Ends Well by Shakespeare & Company June 20 in Lenox

As You Like It by Commonwealth Shakespeare July 18 in Boston

Othello by Shakespeare & Company July 18 in Lenox

Much Adoe About Nothing by New England Shakespeare Festival July 22 in various cities

A Midsummer Night's Dream by Redfeather Theatre July 23 in Worcester

Twelfth Night by Redfeather Theatre Aug 6 in Worcester

Play	by	Company	Opens	in	Location
All's Well That Ends Well	by	Shakespeare & Company	June 20	in	Lenox
As You Like It	by	Commonwealth Shakespeare	July 18	in	Boston
Othello	by	Shakespeare & Company	July 18	in	Lenox
Much Adoe About Nothing	by	New England Shakespeare Festival	July 22	in	various cities
A Midsummer Night's Dream	by	Redfeather Theatre	July 23	in	Worcester
Twelfth Night	by	Redfeather Theatre	Aug 6	in	Worcester

Some of the usual subjects (*cough* Publick Theatre *cough*) are not offering any Shakespeare this summer. And, sadly, Industrial Theatre has gone on hiatus. [Best wishes, guys!]

Any other productions I'm missing?

Remember, Bard in Boston is an open community to which anyone is welcome to post.

Coming this autumn:

In September, Huntington Theatre unveils the world premiere of a new play, How Shakespeare Won The West
And Actors' Shakespeare Project has another four-play season opening in November.

Concord Shakespeare Festival Conference May 30 - June 1, 2008

Wed, 21 May 2008 01:51:02 GMT

From The Winchester Star:

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said the identity of William Shakespeare is “the first of all literary problems.”
And for a group of Shakespearean scholars, this famous Concordian’s revelation, linking the community to the Bard, made the town a fitting locale for their inaugural Shakespeare Festival Conference.
“This is the first and we are hoping that it will become an annual event,” said Cheryl Eagan-Donovan, a Winchester resident and documentary filmmaker who has a passion for the Bard.
Eagan-Donovan is a member of the festival’s steering committee.
“We are hoping to have more people join after this event and make it an annual gathering for Shakespeare scholars and Shakespeare lovers,” she added.
Unlike other Shakespearean conferences, Concord’s weekend-long event, from Friday, May 30, through Sunday, June 1, will include debate on both schools of thought when it comes to Shakespeare’s identity.
The Stratfordians, or traditional Shakespeare scholars, argue that Shakespeare was who he said he was. The Oxfordians, or unorthodox Shakespeare scholars, argue that Shakespeare was a pen name used by poet-playwright Edward de Vere.
The conference is the brainchild of resident Stuart Weeks, who came up with the idea after meeting Mark Anderson, author of “‘Shakespeare’ By Another Name.”
“They met and started talking about the idea of doing a concert festival all about Shakespeare,” Eagan-Donovan said.
The festival conference kicks off Friday, May 30, at the Concord Free Public Library with concert pianist Roderick Phipps-Kettlewell discussing the relationship between Shakespeare and Mozart.
According to a press release about the conference, its mission is to explore sources of the author’s motivation, to examine how people define the meaning of specific works, and to engage in dialogue about the messages readers attribute to Shakespeare.
A number of presentations are scheduled to take place throughout the weekend, including a lecture on “King John,” A look at the play “As You Like It” involving acting, a discussion about Shakespeare and religion and a look at Shakespeare on screen. Scholars, authors and teachers are among the presenters during the festival conference’s different seminars.
Eagan-Donovan said the festival conference includes interpretation through acting during certain lectures. But performance is the main focus of the festival’s Saturday night activities.
On Saturday night, a lineup of performers will take the stage to perform excerpts of Shakespeare’s or Shakespeare-inspired works. Some will read a sonnet, while others will perform a speech from one of his plays. The Concordia Consort will present dances, fantasias and music from Shakespeare’s contemporaries. In addition, there will be court jesters and a reading from an original play about Shakespeare.
“The idea of Saturday night is really to be entertainment as opposed to any kind of lecture,” Eagan-Donovan said.
Registration in advance for the entire weekend is $35, $40 at the door. Students age 25 and younger will be admitted free of charge — a choice the festival conference’s steering committee made to try to expose more young people to the different ways of looking at Shakespeare.
“For us its really important to get young people involved,” Eagan-Donovan said. “Students are really open to the idea of interpreting Shakespeare anew.”
Friday night’s concert takes place at the library, while the rest of the festival conference will take place at the Masonic Temple in Monument Square.
For more information visit www.concordshakespeare.com.

The Actors' Shakespeare Project, King John

Tue, 20 May 2008 20:30:51 GMT

Last season, there was a swath of productions of Titus Andronicus, as college troupes saw it, realized it was a fun play which didn't deserve its negative reputation, and decided to perform it themselves. I would be really happy if the same thing happened with King John this season, and the Actors' Shakespeare Project production, playing now until June 8th, demonstrates why.

See, Titus picked up a reputation as being too bloody and over-the-top to be performed, but a couple good productions, including ASP's, showed folks that "bloody and over-the-top" is not actually a BAD thing in a play. This play has a reputation as being so full of deception and plot twists that it can't be followed -- and it doesn't deserve that. Oh, it's chock-full of deception and twists, but that's a good thing. I suppose that, if one was reading the play, one would have trouble following who was backstabbing whom, but when it's performed on stage with a competent cast, the actors are able to take you through with no trouble whatsoever.

Yes, the plot twists and turns, and you never know what's going to happen in the next scene. But, no matter where you go, there you are. It's not hard to keep track of what's going on, even if you can't predict what will happen next.

It's sort of like one of those walking labyrinths, like the one that my parents built in their backyard, or the ones that a number of churches have painted on the floor. It consists of a single twisting path, looping back on itself, but with no deviations. You walk through the path, never knowing quite what the path will be, but nonetheless, never getting lost. There is only one path, and it takes you through it -- no matter how convoluted it looks from the outside.

Hold onto that image, by the way. We'll be coming back to it.

Shakespeare provides us with a guide through the treachery and deviousness of the court -- the two-fisted action Shakespearian pulp hero Philip Falconbridge, who has become one of my favorite Shakespearian characters. He's noble, brave, upright, and witty, with an action hero's penchant for snappy one-liners and clever observations. Stick with Philip the Bastard -- he'll take you through the play unscathed. Of the few characters who are more-or-less honest, he's the only one who isn't a victim.

So. This being the Actors' Shakespeare Project, let's start with talking about which odd corner of Boston they've found to fit with this play.

Next to the Common is an Episcopal cathedral, the Cathedral Church of St Paul. The Church has a basement. Deep in the bowels of the basement is a room which is used by a Chinese congregation, a homeless congregation, and a Muslim congregation, at different times. And, until June 8th, it's also used by a Shakespearian acting troupe.

I can only imagine what went through Ben Evett's mind when he looked at the space. (Well, that's not strictly true. I could, y'know, ASK him -- it's not like his email address is hard to find, and he's a generally approachable guy. But imagining is more fun.)

Evett would have walked into a room which feels like a high school gym cum-function hall. And he would have looked at the unfinished rough stone walls, and the beautiful faux-marbled pillars, and the beat-up-high-school-basketball-court floor. And the labyrinth painted on that floor in slightly-chipping but very tough paint. See? I told you to hold on to that image.

And he would have thought, "This space has character. What story does this place want to match up with? What play wants to be heard here?"

Like most of the places that ASP has found, this one is weird. And like most of the places, they use that weirdness to shape their performance.

There are a few things about the space that are genuine weaknesses. Those four beautiful faux-marble pillars obstruct views occasionally. The performance space is buried deep underground -- I felt that a miner's helmet might have been appropriate, and I'm not sure about how handicapped-accessible the space is. (The press materials state that the space is accessible, but I didn't see how that worked, so, if mobility is an issue for you, call them and ask what the situation is.)

But most of the things which seem like they WOULD be weaknesses ended up, bizarrely, as strengths. Somehow, the trains rumbling through Park Street Station diagonally above us added to the experience -- it's a play in which mysterious ominous rumblings are dramatically appropriate.

And the whole production design -- sound design, lighting design, everything -- works with the space to create an atmosphere for backstabbing, betrayal, and back-room dealing.

Now, let's talk about the actors, and how they portray the characters. And, since he IS my favorite character, and holds the play together, let's start with Bill Barklay's portrayal of Philip the Bastard.

See, there are two types of Shakespearian monologues. First, you've got the ones like Hamlet uses -- where he's talking to himself, or to God, or to something like that. They're introspective -- they're about the internal life of the character.

The other kind, though -- well, those are the ones where the character realizes that we're there, and decides to tell US what's going through his mind. And Philip is THAT kind of character. And so he needs to form a connection with the audience. The actor needs to have chemistry with the audience.

(As an aside -- this is among the reasons I think Shakespeare generally works better in smaller theaters, and in the round. A proscenium is a border between the audience and the actors -- and I think that a lot of Shakespeare needs to be more interactive. Maybe less so for his latest plays -- I think that The Tempest and Pericles, for instance, can work in proscenium-type settings.)

And Barklay does. He's our guide, our buddy, and we are willing to hang out with him as he attempts to find his way through the treacherous footing of the play. Barklay portrays a Philip who covers a spine of steel under a somewhat goofy exterior -- and it works.

Shakespeare wrote Hubert as King John's thuggish hatchetman, but, in this production, Sarah Newhouse plays a female Hubert, which changes all sorts of relationships. I don't want to say too much about it, because I don't want to give away plot points, but it's an interesting variation, with resonances throughout the play. Jennie Israel's Constance is emotionally powerful, and John Kuntz is deeply creepy as the manipulative Cardinal Pandulph.

As King John, Michael Forden Walker is the center of the play -- but he is shaped by circumstances as much as he shapes them -- he's as much a victim as he is an active player, and Walker's performance shows this dichotomy.

So -- to conclude: the Actors' Shakespeare Project shows us that a complex plot need not be a confusing plot. Their actors and production team lead us through the labyrinthine paths of King John's many betrayals and twists, letting us feel the emotional impact of each one, but never losing us or confusing us.

Tickets are forty bucks, plus or minus a couple bucks depending on which seat, for adults, thirty to thirty-five for students. But remember, guys: they also may have student rush tickets available just before the show, for just fifteen bucks. I encourage you to go and check it out -- I'd like to see if you in the college companies like the play as much as I do. If so, I'd love to see what you'd do with it if you put it on yourselves.

Rambles Review: King John

Tue, 20 May 2008 13:08:59 GMT

Originally posted to riba_rambles May 19

It was a dangerous time for the English monarch:

France was championing rival candidate to the throne -- a royal cousin who actually had a reasonable claim.

Meanwhile, the Pope had not only excommunicated England's monarch, but encouraged the citizens to revolt and even sanctioned assassination attempts.

The challenges Queen Elizabeth faced are relatively well known.

So how much more daring for Shakespeare to recount the parallels in King John's lifetime?

In his director's notes, Ben Evett writes:

[King John] has more plot than most Shakespeare plays -- so much, in fact, that it is easy to get lost in its twists and turns. But what happens in this play is less important than how it happens. ... [I]f you find yourself getting a bit lost in the labyrinth of events, don't despair: the characters are just as lost as you. Focus instead on the moments between characters.

Despite this warning -- or perhaps because of it (and the directorial choices it implies) -- I had no problem following the unfolding plots and machinations.

To aid with understanding, Shakespeare provides an entertaining outsider to help guide you through the court intrigues. Bill Barclay plays Philip Faulconbridge: "good old sir Robert's wife's eldest son." Or, as he's known in the text, Philip the Bastard.

He's alternately bemused and befuddled as he observes the ongoing events, quick with a quip and deadly with both words and weapons. He definitely prefers the direct approach to diplomacy, but his frequent asides definitely keep things from bogging down. [Although I do wish his expression while standing on the sidelines was a little less gobsmacked. I know it's in character, but it got tiresome after a while.]

This is the second time I've seen King John -- I also caught Tina Packer's 2005 production (which I reviewed here).

But each version focused on different aspects, creating a very different experience.

King John and his mother, Queen Eleanor:
Shakespeare & Company, 2005: Allyn Burrows and Annette Miller	Actors' Shakespeare Project: Michael Forden Walker and Janet Morrison

Shakespeare & Co. presented a costume drama focused on questions of honor.

ASP's version is a modern-dress look at back-room political wheeling and dealing.

As King John, Michael Forden Walker's lives the adage that it's lonely at the top. Effectively isolated by the demands of the job, he has more cocktails than close confidants. But there's a strength to the portrayal that makes his inevitable fall magnetic.

The first half of the story is driven by two powerful women. Constance (Jennie Israel), King John's widowed sister-in-law, passionately believes that her son is the rightful king of England.

Constance may have the laws of primogeniture on her side, but John has a more powerful ally -- his mother, Queen Eleanor (Eleanor of Aquitaine, Katherine Hepburn's role in The Lion in Winter).

BASTARD:	Madam, I'll follow you unto the death.
ELEANOR:	Nay, I would have you go before me thither.

As played by Janet Morrison, Eleanor reminded me of women such as Margaret Thatcher, Leona Helmsley, or the matriarchs from the prime-time soaps of the 1980s. She was a force to be reckoned with, and woe to those who stood in her way.

As if to compensate for the absence of these characters during the second half of the play, Ben Evett cast Sarah Newhouse as Hubert de Burgh, changing a few pronouns here and there to render the role female.

And with that simple twist, King John's expressions of admiration to his loyal retainer gain an added sexual dimension:

Come hither, Hubert. O my gentle Hubert,
We owe thee much! within this wall of flesh
There is a soul counts thee her creditor
And with advantage means to pay thy love:
And my good friend, thy voluntary oath
Lives in this bosom, dearly cherished.

And this begins Hubert's character arc of mutual betrayals and rediscovered trust.

What's impressive about this company and this play is that there aren't any throwaway characters. Even when playing minor roles, the actors imbue them with depth. They aren't bodies occupying the stage like human props -- I got the feeling that every one had a story to tell.

Speaking of which, we couldn't help but notice John Greene, whom we've previously seen in Harvard student productions of Romeo & Juliet and Titus Andronicus. He played Lymoges of Austria and doubled in several other minor parts. Of course, after watching him repeatedly bear the brunt of the Bastard's wrath (along with a knee to the groin from Hubert), I began to wonder if this was some kind of company hazing ritual. "Welcome to the ASP. Hope you survive the experience!"

In short: If you're looking to see Shakespeare on stage this month, ASP is still the best around.

King John
directed by Benjamin Evett for Actors' Shakespeare Project

Cathedral Church of Saint Paul: 138 Tremont Street, Boston (across the street from Park Street Station)
Due to the intimate space, late arrival seating is not available.

Now through June 8th
Runs approximately 2 1/2 hours, including one 15-minute intermission.

Rambles Review: Greenblatt & Mee's "Cardenio"

Tue, 20 May 2008 13:08:05 GMT

Originally posted to riba_rambles May 16

I maintain a list of every Shakespeare play I've seen. I've been looking forward to adding Cardenio to the tally ever since A.R.T. announced this season's schedule.

Unfortunately, I'm still waiting.

* * * * *

An addendum to my Cardenio timeline:

In 1990, Charles Hamilton made a big splash when he claimed The Second Maiden's Tragedy was actually Shakespeare's Cardenio. This identification has since been debunked, and the incident has been relegated to an embarrassing footnote in literary history.

I suspect the new play by Stephen Greenblatt and Charles Mee will suffer a similar fate.

That's a shame, because they created a perfectly decent play. It's just not Shakespeare, no matter how much they try to tout it as such. And while that kind of hype may sell tickets, it also burdens them with certain expectations that this play can't possibly fulfill. I avoid reading reviews until I write my own, but I suspect that by any other name, opinions would be much rosier.

Frankly, the play's relationship to Shakespeare's Cardenio is so tangential that I don't feel comfortable using that title. Instead, I'm dubbing this new production SCCardenio in honor of authors Stephen and Charles.

For those seeking simple advice on whether or not to see the show, Ian summed it up nicely:

There are three questions to ask about a production like this:

Is it fun to watch?
Is it a good play?

Is it a good pastiche of Shakespeare?
The answers, in this case, are "yes", "meh", and "no".

Most of my criticism focuses on Ian's third point -- its Shakespearean aspects.

Several years ago, I attended a panel on Shakespeare and SF. From my notes:

Key to transplanting a story to another time and/or place is recognizing which constraints are necessary for the story to make sense, and finding a reason for them in the new location. Certain history plays don't make sense without a firm belief in the divine right of kings. If you don't provide some reason for that within the new setting, the story won't work so well. Classic stories that depend upon the heroine's virginity/chastity have similar problems. Somebody described Jo Walton's Tooth and Claw, in which "the axioms of the sentimental Victorian novel were inescapable laws of biology" as demonstrationg a good understanding of this concept.

According to ARTicles, "Greenblatt and Mee quickly decided that the plot, based on the feudal relation between master and vassal, could not be modernized."

I find that disappointing and difficult to believe.

If the contemporary milieu is such a hindrance, why not choose a different setting?

[I'm tempted to take the playwrights' statement as a challenge, and if I had more time, I'd love to try my hand at modernizing the plot. My initial ideas involve office politics, and competing with the boss to court an attractive client...]

At any rate, instead of trying to recreate the plot, they follow the example of other Shakespeare-like stories by including a cute nod to the source material. In this case, the characters are involved in putting on a play -- specifically, Theobald's Double Falsehood -- with requisite exposition providing the relevant history of Shakespeare's Cardenio.

In the process, characters fall in and out of love, and learn that the one you love may not be the person you expected to fall in love with.

But for a play which is trying so hard to be Shakespearean (a list of tropes), they got far too many of the fundamentals wrong.

For example, SCCardenio is set in Italy, like nearly a third of Shakespeare's plays.
But they portrayed the region with accuracy, realism, and attention to detail.

As I blogged the other night, SCCardenio observes the classical unities, dramatic rules which Shakespeare is famous for disregarding.
The entire play takes place in one location, and each act spans a single day.

I'd go on, but I think you get the idea.

If I try to examine other elements of the play -- setting aside the Shakespearean baggage they've saddled themselves with -- we definitely had fun, but it's not without flaws. Unfortunately, I'm finding it difficult to elaborate without revealing major spoilers.

As I told Ian on the drive home, "I wanted something close to Shakespeare's Cardenio. What I got felt more like an episode of Friends."

Many recent Hollywood films have been labelled "critic-proof" -- attracting a certain core audience who will see the movie regardless of the reviews. Titling this play Cardenio may provide a similar boost to the box office (I understand a New York run is already scheduled for next year). But poetic justice rarely favors Falsehoods.

Cardenio
written by Stephen Greenblatt and Charles Mee for American Repertory Theatre

Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle Street, Cambridge

Now through June 8
Runs approximately 2.5 hours, including one 15-minute intermission.

Shakespeare in Song

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:59:13 GMT

The Spectrum Singers are having a concert this Saturday of Shakespeare's verse set to music by Amy Beach, Daniel Pinkham ("Absence" from "Charm Me Asleep"), Matthew Harris, Robert Applebaum, Herbert Murrill, George Shearing, and Johannes Brahms (Four Songs for Women's Chorus with 2 Horns and Harp, op. 17). Guest musicians Kendra Colton, soprano, and John Muratore, guitar.

The concert is Saturday, May 17, 8 pm, at the Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury St., Boston, and there's a pre-concert lecture at 7:30 by Joseph Summer, composer and artistic director for The Shakespeare Concerts. Tickets are $45, $35, or $15. More info at the link above or call 617 492 8902.

Cardenio by American Repertory Theatre

Tue, 13 May 2008 02:02:39 GMT

By Stephen Greenblatt and Charles L. Mee
Directed by Les Waters

May 10 - June 8

Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle Street, Cambridge

Tickets: $39-79; Students: $25. Student rush: $15
Seniors $10 off ticket price.

Further details @ amrep.org

King John by Actors Shakespeare Project

Tue, 13 May 2008 02:02:34 GMT

King John by Actors Shakespeare Project
Directed by Benjamin Evett

May 16 - June 8

Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, 138 Tremont Street, Boston

Previews: Adults $26-$30, Seniors $23-$26, Students $20-$23
Other Performances: Adults $37-$42, Seniors $33-$38, Students $30-$35
Student Rush $15 (one hour before show time, based on availability)

Further details @ actorsshakespeareproject.org

Hyperion Shakespeare Company's Jazz Age "Twelfth Night," directed by Shelley Bolman

Mon, 05 May 2008 20:07:10 GMT

Shakespeare Meets the Roaring Twenties

in Hyperion Shakespeare Company's

Sultry Jazz Age "Twelfth Night"

Don't miss Shakespeare's well-loved tale of mistaken identity and romantic pursuit played out before the rich backdrop of the Roaring Twenties.

Professionally directed by Shelley Bolman

featuring a live jazz ensemble from the Berklee College of Music
dance choreography by Matthew Kossack
fight choreography by Angie Jepson

New College Theatre
12 Holyoke Street, Cambridge MA

Thu     May 08       8:00 pm
Fri     May 09       8:00 pm
Sat      May 10       2:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Sun     May 11       2:00 pm

Tickets $12 general admission / $8 students
Available at the door, or through the Harvard Box Office:
(617) 496-2222

Hyperion Shakespeare Company brings "Twelfth Night" to Cambridge audiences this spring with a Jazz Age retelling of the classic comedy. The show is the second major production by the company since its resurrection in 2007.

Wellesley College Shakespeare Society presents HAMLET!

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:31:26 GMT

The Wellesley College Shakespeare Society presents "Hamlet"
Directed by Susie Giles-Klein '08

At the Shakespeare Society House at Wellesley College:

Thursday, April 17 @ 7pm
Friday, April 18 @ 8pm
Saturday, April 19 @ 8pm
Sunday April 20 @ 4pm

Thursday, April 24 @ 7pm
Friday, April 25 @ 8pm
Saturday, April 26 @ 8pm
Sunday, April 29 @ 7pm

Tickets on sale at the Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center
$5 Students, $10 General

or call to make a reservation at (781)-283-3192

Opening Night: Much Ado About Nothing

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:32:12 GMT

Opening night is here... you can finally see "See Much Ado About Nothing!"

Come see us make something out of "Nothing!"

Make reservations and get more info online at
http://theatreatfirst.org

Theatre @ First is kicking off our fifth season
with Shakespeare's beloved comedy,
"Much Ado About Nothing".

This weekend and next!

Comedy. Romance. Intrigue. All in one play!

April 4, 5, 10, 11, 12 @ 8 pm
April 6 matinee @ 3 pm

Reserve your tickets now!
$12/$10 for Seniors/Students

You can order tickets online at
http://www.theatreatfirst.org/tickets.shtml
or call our toll-free ticket line at
1-888-874-7554
or email tickets@theatreatfirst.org

All performances are in the hall at First Church,
located at 89 College Ave. in Somerville,
4 blocks from the Davis Square stop on the Red Line,
and accessible to the physically challenged.

Please join us and bring your friends for a great
night of theater!

Sunday@7pm! William Shakespeare: VAMPIRE HUNTER Free! One night only!!!

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:27:11 GMT

The MIT Shakespeare Ensemble humbly presents to you:

~~William Shakespeare: Vampire Hunter~~

[This Sunday, April 6th, at 7pm in room 34-101]
(Admission free to the public)

Q: What is "William Shakespeare: Vampire Hunter"?
A: It's a play that will be written, designed, directed, rehearsed, and open all in the space of 24 HOURS!

Q: Are you insane?!?
A: Yes! Come see it!

The fine print:
Overly-excited fans are welcome to line up outside the door at 6:15pm. Vampire fangs encouraged. Ritual animal sacrifices prohibited by law. The MIT Shakespeare Ensemble (TM) claims no responsibility for historical/literary figures who may or may not roll over in their graves as a result of this performance.

SEE THE SHOW!!! ONE NIGHT ONLY!!!

Bard in Boston

Come see the show!

Romeo and Juliet

"How Shakespeare Won the West" opens Sept. 5

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

The Gazebo Players of Medfield present Macbeth for FREE!

Shakespeare in the Square (Harvard, that is), with Love's Labours Lost and a "Shakespeare Slam."

As You Like It

As You Like It

This week!

Call for Papers: Theatre Research Conference

Shakespeare Auditions

Small Company Shakespeare: New Hampshire and Vermont

Small Company Shakespeare: Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Take heed, ere summer comes

Concord Shakespeare Festival Conference May 30 - June 1, 2008

The Actors' Shakespeare Project, King John

Rambles Review: King John

Rambles Review: Greenblatt & Mee's "Cardenio"

Shakespeare in Song

Cardenio by American Repertory Theatre

King John by Actors Shakespeare Project

Hyperion Shakespeare Company's Jazz Age "Twelfth Night," directed by Shelley Bolman

Wellesley College Shakespeare Society presents HAMLET!

Opening Night: Much Ado About Nothing

Sunday@7pm! ~~ William Shakespeare: VAMPIRE HUNTER ~~ Free! One night only!!!

Sunday@7pm! William Shakespeare: VAMPIRE HUNTER Free! One night only!!!