Bard in Boston

Shakespeare in Song

2008-05-15T13:59:13Z

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

2008-05-13T02:02:39Z

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

2008-05-13T02:02:34Z

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

2008-05-05T20:07:10Z

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!

2008-04-07T02:31:26Z

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

2008-04-04T19:32:12Z

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!!!

2008-04-03T11:27:11Z

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!!!

Actors' Shakespeare Project Announces 2008-09 Season

2008-03-14T23:09:05Z

Actors' Shakespeare Project is pleased to announce its upcoming, fifth-anniversary, 2008-09 season. In consultation with the resident company, Artistic Director Benjamin Evett has selected four dynamic plays linked by their thematic exploration of the role of the outsider and "how such a person disrupts, inspires, and creates, danger, destruction, and rebirth." For the first time, ASP will stage a play by one of Shakespeare's contemporaries: John Webster's Jacobean revenge tragedy The Duchess of Malfi. Locations and further details will be announced soon.

The 2008-09 Season:

The Merchant of Venice
November 3 - December 7
Directed by Melia Bensussen
The Duchess of Malfi
January 15 - February 8
Directed by David R. Gammons
Coriolanus
March 19 - April 12
Directed by Robert Walsh
Much Ado About Nothing
May 14 - June 7
Director to be announced

Also, don't forget, ASP's production of The Tempest is opening this weekend.

Much Ado About Nothing

2008-03-12T20:01:28Z

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

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.

For more info, check our web site at
http://theatreatfirst.org

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

Come see us make something out of "Nothing!"

The MIT Shakespeare Ensemble Presents TWELFTH NIGHT

2008-03-12T19:37:28Z

The MIT Shakespeare Ensemble Presents

TWELFTH NIGHT
or, What You Will

by William Shakespeare
Directed by Kortney Adams

La Sala de Puerto Rico
8 PM
March 13, 14, 15 & 20, 21, 22
Reserve tickets online at http://web.mit.edu/ensemble/www/current-tix.html.

Starring Chris Stephenson ~ Rachel Nagin ~ Nori Pritchard ~ Olivia Leitermann ~
Nat Twarog ~ Sabrina Neuman ~ Hanna Kuznetsov ~ Sharon Gochenour ~ Sara Ferry ~
Eric Fernandez ~ Grace Kane ~ Laila Wahedi ~ Arnaldo Pereira-Diaz ~ Heather
McDonald ~ Deirdre LaBounty ~ Bianca Farrell ~ Brianna Conrad ~ Naomi Hinchen

Come see this most beloved of Shakespeare comedies, with its cross-dressing,
sword-fighting, love triangles, pirates, clowns, drunken knights, and singing!
The misadventures of shipwrecked twins Sebastian and Viola lead them deep into
Illyria, where they encounter lovelorn Duke Orsino and grieving Countess
Olivia. The zany antics of Olivia's household amuse and bewilder, as the
characters fall in and out of love in the topsy-turvy world of the Twelfth
Night.

--- Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun; it shines everywhere. ---

Shakespeare on the Common: As You Like It

2008-02-15T02:34:42Z

The Citi Center has just announced that this summer's Shakespeare on the Common will be As You Like It, July 18 to August 3, with performances in Springfield August 8-10.

I'm glad they're back to a three week run.

Lecture on Midsummer Night's Dream

2008-02-14T13:28:55Z

From the Brandeis calendar:

Just for Play
Unmasking A Midsummer Night's Dream
Thursday, February 14, 3:30-5:00 p.m.
Usdan Center International Lounge

Lord, what fools these mortals be! Noted anthropologist Dr. Bradd Shore speaks on romantic love in culture, religion, and theater; followed by comments by Dr. Stephen Greenblatt, one of the world's leading Shakespeare scholars and author of the best-seller Will in the World. Free and open to the public.

Rambles Reviews: Blow, blow, thou winter wind

2008-02-13T14:11:51Z

[Duplicated from riba_rambles]

In the program for Brandeis Theater Company's production of As You Like It, the Assistant Director's Note reveals:

Before rehearsals began, [director] Adrianne [Krstansky] gave us a bit of homework: to fall in love or do something that feels like falling in love.

That exercise certainly paid off as we watched each character succumb to Cupid's sting.

AYLI relies on its strong central lovers, and this show didn't disappoint.

Ramona Alexander's Rosalind was "more than common tall" and quite striking. Whether in a melancholy mood or girlishly giggly, she made the character believably human. As with most productions, the boyish disguise was more portrayal and plot than physical presentation -- but Alexander deserves credit for a most impressive swoon in V.1, collapsing into a full faint.

Playing Orlando, Anthony Mark Stockard hit all the right notes. Handsome, fierce, devoted, desperate...

Inexplicably, they rushed through some of the banter in III.2 (the divers paces of time), trampling the jokes in the process.

But in this production I was even more drawn to the usually-minor characters.

Sheldon Best made Oliver surprisingly sympathetic from the start. When Orlando says "Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will shake me up" (I.1) the little brat becomes deliberately provocative, showing a little brother's expertise at pushing his older sibling's buttons. Orlando's attack is so disproportionate that there's little wonder Oliver encourages Charles the wrestler to hold nothing back.

And though Celia is mostly played for humor, I was blown away by the spine of steel Sara Oliva showed when her father banishes Rosalind (I.3). According to the campus arts magazine (PDF), Oliva's dream roles are "Cleopatra, Medea, Electra..." and I could see that strength keep the character from becoming a one-note joke.

Even LeBeau, who is often overlooked, felt like a power to be reckoned with. Lindsey McWhorter imbued LeBeau with such a knowing air, that I wondered whether lines were reassigned to bulk up the part.

In the countryside, Dimitri Papadimitriou's Corin is quite the "natural philosopher." He's not the butt of Touchstone's jokes, but holds his own, playing along with the jester's banter.

As for Touchstone, like many modern-dress productions, the formal role of Fool was eliminated. Joshua Davis played the part more like an oversized goofball; the closest he comes to motley were some rather loud shirts.

As played by Hannah Wilson, I found Phebe totally endearing She didn't convey the typical Lucy van Pelt bossiness, either. Combining a grey cardigan, peach shirt, green skirt, and lavender knee-highs, she'd rather bury her bespectacled nose in Raising sheep the modern way than listen to Silvius' love prattle. But when she fell for Ganymede -- that pathetically hopeful hunch of her shoulders was something out of a comic strip.

Brian Weaver's Silvius reminded me a bit of Arnold Horshack in dress and and manner. Ilya Sobol played Charles as a boisterous Eastern European bear. Naya Chang imbued Audrey with such innocence that I thought she was a freshman. I was surprised to read she's a third year graduate student, who's co-directing BTC's next production. And Molly Haas-Hooven, who played Adam and the deer, seemed to be channelling Andrea Martin with a shuffling gait that could evoke laughter just by crossing the stage.

Professor Elizabeth Terry -- the oldest member of the cast -- was an adequate Jacques, but somehow her recitation of the Seven Ages managed to omit the schoolboy.

Director Adrianne Krstansky may be better-known locally for Actors' Shakespeare Project's recent all-female Macbeth. In this production, she added some touches that I'd never seen before in AYLI.

The initial forest scenes take place in the dead of winter. A much more desperate situation than normally portrayed.

Every other stage production I've seen (four others), broke for intermission in Act III, Scene 2: as Orlando began hanging poems from the trees. This version waited until after the scene concluded -- with Rosalind's contrivance to "cure" Orlando.

Returning from intermission, the stage was a verdant spring. The passage of time added depth to the Ganymede charade, spacing it out over several months, when it often seems to rush past in a matter of days.

Video screens above the stage were largely used as extensions to the scenery -- sparks rising from the bonfire, for example.

However, I'm still not quite sure what the Big-Brotherish eyes before the show were meant to symbolize. And displaying the full moon for Orlando's ode to Diana (III.2) almost felt condescending -- although overlaying Rosalind's face at the end of his soliloquy did evoke a laugh from the audience.

As You Like It is also a musical, and J Hagenbuckle's musical arrangements fit the tone and setting. [I'll confess, I want a recording of their rendition of Marlowe's "Come Live With Me"]

And I would be remiss if I didn't praise fight choreographer Ted Hewlett for the best wrestling match I've seen in any AYLI.

What more can I say? It's funny, it's romantic -- it would make a great Valentine's Day date...

As You Like It
directed by Adrianne Krstansky for the Brandeis Theater Company

Spingold Theater at Brandeis University Waltham, MA [directions & parking]

Five more performances thru February 17:

Thu., Feb. 14 @ 8 pm, $18
Fri., Feb. 15 @ 8 pm, $20
Sat., Feb. 16 @ 2 pm, $18
Sat., Feb. 16 @ 8 pm, $20
Sun., Feb. 17 @ 2 pm, $18

Tickets: Internet ticketing available or phone (781)736-3400, option 5

Runs about 2 hours 45 minutes with a 10-minute intermission.

On Thursday, February 14, join Professor of English and American Literature William (Billie) Flesch for a post-show discussion about the history, context and themes in 'As You Like It.' Professor Flesch is a noted Shakespearean scholar and well-loved professor here at Brandeis University. The actors will join the discussion too.

[I want to go, but that could run awfully late for a work night...]

As You Like It

2008-02-08T14:09:21Z

Brandeis's graduate theater program is putting on As You Like It, February 7-17. Tickets are $16-$20. It's in the Laurie theater, which is a nice small space (seating perhaps 100).

BBC Shakespeare Festival

2008-02-08T12:24:06Z

Amazon Unbox has a deal going where each weekend for a month you can rent one particular BBC Shakespeare film for free, and the rest for $1.99. This weekend's special is A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Julius Caesar at American Repertory Theatre

2008-02-06T16:38:02Z

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!”

The American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) proudly presents Shakespeare’s brilliant political play “Julius Caesar”, directed by Arthur Nauzyciel. This is the first ever production of “Julius Caesar” in A.R.T. history.

The play runs from Saturday, February 9 to Sunday, March 16 at the Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle Street, Harvard Square in Cambridge. Show times & more info: www.amrep.org/caesar .

Caesar is considered by some to be one the most powerful figures in world history. Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” is one of the greatest theatrical studies of tyranny, revolution, and civil war: a breathless, gripping portrayal of friendships and alliances torn apart by political ambition and the intoxicating effects of power. Lines from this play have become so much a part of our culture that their origin is sometimes forgotten: “Et tu, Brute?” … “Beware the Ides of March.”

Acclaimed French theater director Arthur Nauzyciel illuminates themes in “Julius Caesar” that resonate with current day events, such as politics as entertainment, and image vs. truth. Nauzyciel invites us into a dreamlike world that is both classic and timeless, and designed to engage and stimulate the audience’s imagination.

The production will feature A.R.T. resident actors Remo Airaldi, Thomas Derrah, Jeremy Geidt and Will LeBow, as well as distinguished guests including Jim True-Frost from HBO’s “The Wire” (Prez); and James Waterston, Sam Waterston’s son, and the third Waterston to be appear on the A.R.T. stage. A.R.T. has gained renown throughout the world for launching productions that educate, enrich and entertain. This play promises to be no exception.

Tickets start at $39. Advance tickets are available to students with valid ID for $25 (limit two). Generous group rates available for groups of 10 or more. Post-show discussions with cast members every Saturday matinee. Purchase online at www.amrep.org or call (617) 547-8300.

See this show before the Ides of March!

Please feel free to forward this e-mail to individuals who you think might be interested.

Boston Ballet: Romeo and Juliet

2008-01-31T14:12:50Z

Boston Ballet will open the second half of its 2007-08 season on Valentine's Day with John Cranko's acclaimed staging of Romeo & Juliet. With this production, Boston Ballet becomes only the second U.S. ballet company to perform Cranko's Romeo & Juliet

Cranko's Romeo & Juliet premiered in 1962 and was first performed by the Stuttgart Ballet. His exquisitely rendered ballet, set to Sergei Prokofiev's magnificent score, is an inspired realization of William Shakespeare's timeless tale. While Prokofiev's original composition initially faced heavy criticism, it has become one of the most popular of all ballet compositions.

"Cranko's Romeo and Juliet is the most satisfying match for Prokofiev's score and provides the most vivid characterizations of this ageless classic," said Boson Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. "The choreography perfectly mimics the shape of Shakespeare's original text and serves as a wonderful tribute to the play. This version of Romeo & Juliet poses a great challenge for dancers, as great acting skills must both complement and enhance each dancer's performance."

When the Stuttgart Ballet danced the American premiere of John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet in 1969, Clive Barnes wrote in The New York Times that this staging of Prokofiev's score "is, quite simply, the best of a surprisingly distinguished bunch. Many choreographers have attempted the score . . . but it has been left to Cranko to give the work its complete fulfillment."

More than 35 years later, that assessment continues to ring true. Cranko was a gifted story teller who masterfully wove choreography and drama into a seamless whole. His Verona teems with life: the crowd scenes are exquisitely etched, and the main characters are clearly part of the fabric of society. "It's a very sophisticated production," said Nissinen. "It's a real dance drama with wonderful choreography, and the pas de deux are stunning."

Schedule of Performances

Thursday, February 14 and February 28 at 7pm
Friday, February 15 and February 29 at 8pm
Saturday, February 16 and March 1 at 2pm and 8pm
Sunday, February 17 at 2pm and 7pm
Sunday, March 2 at 2pm

Tickets

Tickets for season ballets can be purchased by phone through Telecharge at 800.447.7400, online at www.telecharge.com, or in person at the Citi Performing Arts Center (SM) Wang Theatre box office, located at 270 Tremont Street in Boston's Theatre District, open Monday- Saturday from 10am - 6pm. Prices for Romeo & Juliet range from $25 - 110. ($25 price available in person only) Discounted group tickets (10 or more) are available by calling Boston Ballet's Group Sales at 617.456.6343. Rush tickets are available. Contact the Boston Ballet box office at 617.695.6955 or visit www.bostonballet.org for details.

ART: Julius Caesar, February 9 – March 22

2008-01-31T14:06:06Z

directed by Arthur Nauzyciel

February 9 - March 16, 2008
Loeb Drama Center

Details @ http://amrep.org/caesar/

[Also, May 10 - June 1 Stephen Greenblatt's Cardenio

MIT Shakespeare Ensemble: Scene Night!

2008-01-31T14:01:53Z

The MIT Shakespeare Ensemble invites you to its IAP production of...

~~~~~

SCENE NIGHT

Friday, February 1st in 4-370 (MIT building 4, 3rd floor)
Saturday, February 2nd in 4-163 (MIT building 4, 1st floor)
8:00 PM

~~~~~

A free night of student-directed scenes from a wide selection of plays, including Much Ado about Nothing, Merry Wives of Windsor, Sure Thing, Taming of the Shrew, and The Importance of Being Earnest. Come join us for an evening of entertainment!

For more information, visit our website: http://mit.edu/ensemble/www/current.html

Rambles Reviews: Shakespeare's Actresses in America

2008-01-29T17:07:26Z

[Cross-posted from riba_rambles]

Reading theatrical histories (such as Nigel Cliff's The Shakespeare riots), one often hears how acting styles have changed over the centuries. The great actors of each generation are lauded for playing roles more naturally than their predecessors.

But reviews and descriptions can only go so far in conveying what that means. Furthermore, most of this discussion focuses on the male actors: David Garrick, John Kemble, Edmund Kean, William Macready, Edwin Forrest... It's a never-ending chain of dominance; even Kenneth Branagh seemed compelled to take on all Lawrence Olivier's best-known roles.

The actresses generally get far less attention, even though they often earned equal acclaim in their day.

“There are five kinds of actresses: bad actresses, fair actresses, good actresses, great actresses -- and then there is Sarah Bernhardt.”
— Mark Twain

In her seventy-minute one-woman show, Rebekah Maggor portrays sixteen actresses in eight roles from seven of Shakespeare's plays, re-enacting performances in three languages from over a century of stage and screen.

According to the program, Ms. Maggor is a voice coach and "associate editor of the International Dialects of English Archive." She used historical voice recordings and prompt books to recreate the roles in this show.

Of the few actresses whom I've seen perform (Claire Danes, Elizabeth Taylor, and Kathleen Turner), Ms. Maggor's renditions seemed spot on.

Most of the play is narrated in the persona of actress and director Margaret Webster (1905-1972). You don't need to know much Shakespeare to enjoy the production, because she provides context for all the speeches.

Boston trivia aside: Paul Robeson was the first black actor to play Othello in the United States. Fearful of the controversy, no Broadway theater wanted to stage the play. So the American premiere took place at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge. Reaction was so positive that the New York theaters which initially refused the show were soon clamoring to bring it to their stages.

I actually would've liked more of history. Listening to some of the more affected styles of 19th century acting (such as the rrrolled R-r-r's), I can't help wonder what role they played in projecting unamplified voices to audiences of thousands.[Contrast the early crooners, who relied upon microphones, to someone like Al Jolson.]

This is a show that can be enjoyed in at least three levels: hear some of Shakespeare's greatest soliloquys, learn a lesson in theater history, and marvel at a virtuouso one-woman performance.

Shakespeare's Actresses in America
Created and performed by Rebekah Maggor for Huntington Theatre Company

Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA,
527 Tremont Street, Boston (Map & Directions)

Six more performances thru February 11:

Tue., Jan. 29 @ 7:30 pm
Sun., Feb. 3 @ 7 pm
Mon., Feb. 4 @ 7:30 pm
Tue., Feb. 5 @ 7:30 pm
Sun., Feb. 10 @ 7 pm
Mon., Feb. 11 @ 7:30 pm

Runs for approximately 70 minutes without intermission; one scene involves cigarette smoke.

Tickets:
$50 ($5 discounts for student, seniors, and military personnel).
Patrons 35 years and younger may purchase $25 tickets through the Huntington's "H_tix Program," available online with code 1723.
Limited $15 student rush and back-row tickets.

Purchase online at huntingtontheatre.org, by phone at (617)266-0800, in person at the Calderwood Pavilion Box Office (527 Tremont St.) or the BU Theatre Box Office (264 Huntington Ave).

PS: On the subject of minimalist Shakespeare, Actors' Shakespeare Project's five-person Henry V closes February 3rd.

ASP's Tempest Gala in March

2008-01-26T18:08:54Z

Click to enlarge:

[Sorry for the all-graphic nature of this announcement; this is how I received it, and I don't feel like retyping it all.]

Shakespeare's Actresses in America @ Huntington Theatre

2008-01-26T18:08:28Z

THE HUNTINGTON PRESENTS "SHAKESPEARE'S ACTRESSES IN AMERICA"
Acting tour-de-force stars local actress and playwright Rebekah Maggor

WHAT:
The Huntington Theatre Company presents "Shakespeare's Actresses in America," a one-woman acting tour-de-force created and performed by Rebekah Maggor, and directed by Karin Coonrod.

WHEN:
8 performances only - Jan. 27-29; Feb. 3-5, Feb. 10-11, 2008

Sun., Jan. 27 @ 7 pm
Mon., Jan. 28 @ 7:30 pm
Tue., Jan. 29 @ 7:30 pm
Sun., Feb. 3 @ 7 pm
Mon., Feb. 4 @ 7:30 pm
Tue., Feb. 5 @ 7:30 pm
Sun., Feb. 10 @ 7 pm
Mon., Feb. 11 @ 7:30 pm

WHERE:
Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, 527 Tremont Street, Boston

TICKETS:
$50 ($5 discounts for student, seniors, and military personnel).
Patrons 35 years and younger may purchase $25 tickets through the Huntington's "H_tix Program," available online with code 1723.
Limited $15 student rush and back-row tickets.

Purchase online at huntingtontheatre.org,
by phone at 617 266-0800,
in person at the Calderwood Pavilion Box Office (527 Tremont St.)
or the Boston University Theatre Box Office (264 Huntington Avenue). Call for hours.

BOSTON - Some of the most famous actresses who ever took to the American stage recreate their greatest roles in "Shakespeare's Actresses in America," written and performed by Boston actress and playwright Rebekah Maggor and running Jan. 27-Feb. 11, 2008 at the Huntington Theatre Company's Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts.

Using historical recordings, actor prompt books, and years of research on Shakespeare history and performance, Maggor has fashioned a critically acclaimed one-woman performance that examines the acting styles of the greatest 19th- and 20th-century actresses, as well as the societal attitudes that shaped how they presented themselves-and their characters-onstage. The genealogy of these Shakespearian performances reveals much about how culture has changed (or not) over time, making "Shakespeare's Actresses" a lively and funny commentary on American values and an engaging look at theatre history. Shakespeare lovers-and those who've never seen a Bard play-will enjoy this accessible and family friendly play.

Maggor, who directs the Program in Speaking and Learning at Harvard University's Derek Bok Center, recreates the distinctive vocal styles of well-known actresses from Sarah Bernhardt (arguably the most famous actress of the 19^th century), to the mid-20^th century icon Elizabeth Taylor, to modern-day starlet Claire Danes (in Baz Luhrman's lurid film version of "Romeo and Juliet"). The esteemed actress, director, and producer Eva La Gallienne, silent screen star Mary Pickford, and late 19^th-century thespian Ellen Terry are also conjured up in the show. Maggor included actresses only if their voices were available on recordings.

Maggor doesn't just imitate the theatre and screen legends, though; she embodies them physically and emotionally. Through them, she portrays many of the complex female characters that have challenged actresses for centuries.

Henry V Conversations: Monday night

2008-01-26T18:08:19Z

Henry V Conversations:
What is a Just War? Responses to Henry V and how the play resonates in our world today
January 28 2008, 7 PM

Downstairs at The Garage
38 JFK Street, Harvard Square
Cambridge MA 02138
A reception follows the event.

Tickets $15, $12 seniors, $10 subscribers/students, $5 veterans and military
Buy tickets online or call 866-811-4111

Panelists:

Coppélia Kahn, Professor of English and Gender Studies at Brown University and author of Man's Estate: Masculine Identity in Shakespeare and Roman Shakespeare: Warriors, Wounds, and Women.
Diana Henderson, Professor of Shakespeare, Renaissance Literature, Drama, Women's Literature, Media Studies at MIT and author of Collaborations with the Past: Reshaping Shakespeare Across Time and Media.
Fred Marchant, Director of Creative Writing at Suffolk University and teacher at the William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences and at The Veterans Writing Group.
Normi Noel, Director of ASP's Henry V and longtime member of Shakespeare and Company.
James R. Siemon, Professor of Renaissance Drama at Boston University and author of Word Against Word, Shakespearean Utterance and Shakespearean Iconoclasm.

Last week, Open Source with Christopher Lydon interviewed director Normi Noel, actor Seth Powers, and Professor Coppélia Kahn. Hear the podcast

And if you haven't yet seen Henry V, catch it before it closes on February 3rd.
More info: reviews, direction, parking

Muses of Boston emailing list

2008-01-25T16:24:33Z

For promotion of local artists, writers, musicians, dancer, craftsmen, and actors within the Boston and Greater Boston area:

Rambles Reviews: Henry V by 5

2008-01-18T14:10:33Z

Crossposted from riba_rambles:

But pardon, and gentles all,
The flat unraised spirits that have dared
On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth
So great an object: can this cockpit hold
The vasty fields of France?

The audience chuckled, finding surprising resonance in the familiar prologue as we all stared at the tiny platform in a Harvard Square basement. And at that point, I knew I had found the lede that would probably launch most reviews of this production.

Into a thousand parts divide one man...

Mistress Quickly (Paula Langton) and Pistol (Ken Cheeseman) say farewell.

King Henry (Seth Powers) and Princess Katherine (Molly Schreiber) decide to wed.

In college, I saw Actors from the London Stage perform Midsummer Night's Dream with five actors and minimal sets. I was utterly blown away by the experience. Eliminating all the stagecraft intensifies your focus on the acting and dialog. Shakespeare's language can hold up to the scrutiny, leaving it all up to the cast. Impressively enough, even when AFTLS actors played multiple roles in a single scene, I never had any confusion about which character was which.

That's what Actors Shakespeare Project accomplished with Henry V.

Last season, ASP put on a six-person Love's Labour's Lost, but I found the experience a bit too gimmicky for my tastes. They played Henry V straight, and it was everything I remembered so fondly about AFTLS.

The doubling and tripling of parts does not interfere with comprehension. They definitely edited the text, reassigning lines and possibly conflating characters. Shakespeare helps keep the audience keep track of who's who, with dialog clearly introducing newcomers by name.

In fact, doubling of roles can actually reveal subtle resonances. For example, I never before noticed how many characters lecture Henry in the guise of giving advice: the Archbishop of Canterbury in Act I, Lord Scroop (briefly) in Act II, Michael Williams in Act IV... But with Ken Cheeseman playing all three, the repetition becomes more obvious.

Although allocation of roles is tricky in a production like this -- everything hinging on which characters appear in scenes together -- I did notice that the male characters who came closest to crying (Exeter in IV.6 followed by Fluellen in IV.7) were both played by Paula Langton. Given all the discussion the previous week regarding gender issues in the presidential race, I wondered how the crosscasting influenced the emotional reactions.

Of course, the only way to carry off a production like this is with a strong and talented cast. And, though I noticed a handful of flubbed lines here and there, they were all seasoned pros.

Why, how now, gentlemen!
What see you in those papers that you lose
So much complexion? — Act II, Scene 2

I recently read an essay (which I've been trying fruitlessly to find for this review) which compared stage Shakespeare to film Shakespeare. The author discussed soliloquys as a device for revealing characters' innermost thoughts -- but a well-shot close-up can be equally effective in a way rarely possible onstage, given audience distance. [I believe the example chosen was Marlon Brando in Julius Caesar.]

ASP arranged the room so that no seat is more than three rows from the stage. During the scene quoted above, I was startled by the intimacy in watching Molly Schreiber's face fall.

Unfortunately, center stage is dominated by a massive support beam. David Evett, the company dramaturg, blogged about the challenges this presented. And by using a circle-in-the-round arrangement, every seat will have at least some obstructed views. Most of Henry's wooing of Kate (V.2), one actor or the other had their back to me. Later that scene, I didn't even realize the King of France had returned until he spoke, the pillar so effectively blocked my view.

[Also, although not personally affected, I should point out that the venue is handicapped accessible by appointment (call to arrange access) and you have to go outside for the nearest bathroom. This play had been scheduled for Jimmy Tingle's theater in Davis Square, and relocated here when that establishment closed.]

Inconveniences aside, if you like your Shakespeare tight-knit, well-acted, and without a great deal of sound and fury (hopefully, I'll find time to blog our experience with the Met's HD Live broadcast of Verdi's Macbeth, which we also saw last weekend) ASP is definitely the place to be.

Thus far, with rough and all-unable pen,
Our bending author hath pursued the story,
In little room confining mighty men,
Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.

Henry V
directed by Normi Noel for Actors' Shakespeare Project

January 10 - February 3

Downstairs at The Garage,
38 JFK Street, Harvard Square

Subscribe to Muses_of_Boston

Powered by groups.yahoo.com