Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me on March 22.

It’s almost time for Weston Playhouse Theatre Company’s annual Sing and Dine at the Inn at Weston. On March 22 singers and diners will be “thrilled” with favorite songs from the 50s and the 60s and a retro diner dinner with drinks. Weston favorites Amy Fitts (Hairspray) and Michael Hicks (The Full Monty) will lead the group down memory lane with songs like “Heatwave,” “Lipstick on your collar” and “Dream Lover.” Call 802-824-6789 for reservations.

Stage Door Series
Marvelous Wonderettes: Sing and Dine
The Inn at Weston, Weston, VT
Monday, March 22 @ 6pm; $50 includes dinner and entertainment

“What Do You Do With a BA in English?!!”

This Saturday at the Stone Hearth Inn in Chester the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company will host a selection of songs and stories previewing the hit musical Avenue Q, opening in July at the Weston Playhouse. Broadway and Weston cast member Sharon Wheatley and Music Director Rob Meffe will share their experiences with the show on Broadway and in Las Vegas and WPTC Director Tim Fort will provide insight into the WPTC’s interpretation of the show. Call 802-824-5288 for reservations.
Stage Door Series

Avenue Q: A sampling of songs and stories (ADULT CONTENT)
Sponsored by the Stone Hearth Inn and Misty Valley Books
Saturday, March 13 @ 8pm; $7 covers entertainment costs

Williamstown, MA (3/11/2010) – Williamstown Theatre Festival (Nicholas Martin, Artistic Director) announced today that Terry Kinney (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; reasons to be pretty) will direct a production of Lanford Wilson’s modern classic Fifth of July, which will play the WTF Main Stage from August 11 – 22, 2010. A co-production with Bay Street Theatre, this gentle comic drama from Wilson’s beloved Talley Trilogy will be the final Main Stage production of the season.

In Fifth of July, as friends and family gather to remember a lost loved one, a group of thirty-something prodigals from the rebellious post-Vietnam generation return to their rural Missouri home, finding themselves older and wiser, but devoid of dreams. Long-buried rivalries and burning secrets reignite on a late summer evening as this motley tribe struggles to adapt to the changes wrought in their lives.

Fort Salem Theater, located in Salem NY, an hour north of Albany, is accepting resumes in anticipation of auditioning in the Capital Region in early April. Under the current management, Equity and non-Equity professionals, from Broadway, off-Broadway, and the Capital Region, and members of the local theater communities share the beautifully-renovated Mainstage.

This year’s locally produced musicals include 110 in the Shade, The Musical of The Rainmaker, by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, and an original musical, StarCrossed, A Musical Tale of Tragedy and Triumph in Old Hollywood, by Al Budde and Jay Kerr, starring Laura Roth as a legendary star of forties film musicals, each directed by Wm. John Aupperlee, director of the Fort’s initial offering, A Christmas Carol: A New Musical.

110 – Seeking all roles, except Lizzie:
H.C. Curry – Lizzie’s father, late fifties, powerfully set, capable, with a dream in him.
Noah Curry – Lizzie’s older brother, built like his father, without the imagination. Rigid. Opinionated.
Jimmy Curry – Lizzie’s younger brother. Early twenties, big. He’s not sure that he’s very bright. He may be right.
Bill Starbuck – A loud braggart, lithe, agile. A gentle dreamer. The rainmaker.
File – The sheriff. Reticent, intelligent, in his late thirties. Smiles at the world and himself.
Snookie Updegraff – Perhaps seventeen. Described by authors as “pretty, and pretty, and pretty, and pretty. Which is to say she is pretty.”

StarCrossed – Seeking the following roles:
Slice Magnuson – a retired detective who investigates the seamy side of Hollywood. He’s a busy man. Late forties on.
Rick Taylor – An agent who once handled the late, legendary Julie Martin and looks for any angle to bring back the prestige and money. Early forties.
Jack Curran – A retired one-time matinee idol, triple-threat, who romanced Julie Martin.

Please send electronic submissions to jay@fortsalemtheater.com or by mail to: Jay Kerr, Fort Salem Theater, PO Box 10, Salem, NY 12865.

NORTH ADAMS, MA – Jennifer Miller, a bearded woman and the founder and director of Circus Amok, will return to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) on Monday, March 29, at 7 p.m. in the Amsler Campus Center’s Sullivan Lounge.

Miller will give a slideshow presentation entitled, “Is Your House on
Fire?” The presentation will provide a short history of Circus Amok,
focusing on queer bodies, public spaces and the fostering of democracy. She also will present some solo, circus sideshow performance pieces. A question and answer session will follow the show.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Miller is the founder and director of Circus Amok, an alternative queer
theater that gives free performances in poor and ethnic neighborhoods in New York City. She has won numerous awards for her work on the circus. She teaches at the Pratt Art Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Miller has been doing alternative circus, theater, and dance for 20 years, including seven years on the Coney Island circuit. She also has appeared on the Jerry Springer, Ru Paul and Joan Rivers TV shows. Circus Amok has won several prestigious awards, such as the Bessie in 1995 and the OBIE in 2000.

Sponsored by MCLA’s Office of Academic Affairs, the Honors Program, the Susan B. Anthony Women’s Center, and the Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work Department, this year’s event marks Miller’s fourth performance at the College.

Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World

Brings a Fun Shot of Shakespeare to All Ages!

March 27 – April 24

(includes April Vacation week and Shakespeare’s Birthday)

{LENOX, Mass.}—After introducing our winter and spring audiences to Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World last year, the successful presentation is back again for another fun and whirlwind tour through the life, times and works of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped A World features six Shakespeare & Company actors, a perfect serving of biographical information on the life and times of Shakespeare, and a fast-paced mélange of scenes and quotations from many of The Bard’s greatest plays. This is not only a fun and accessible introduction to Shakespeare, but has just enough depth to please kids of ALL ages. Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped A World was created by Kevin G. Coleman, Director of Education at Shakespeare & Company, and this 45-minute presentation at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre is directed again this season by Associate Director of Education Jenna Ware (The Amorous Quarrel Bankside Festival 2010). The presentations are followed by an exciting, hands-on workshop featuring Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Presentations are on consecutive Saturdays at 1pm, from March 27 through April 24—PLUS April Vacation Week: April 21, 22, and 23 at 1pm. Tickets are $5 for kids, $10 for adults, with a maximum admission fee of $30 per family. (Up to six people per family discount.) Children under the age of seven must be accompanied by an adult at the hands-on workshop. Tickets are available the day of the presentation, or from the Box Office at (413) 637-3353 or boxoffice@shakespeare.org. The Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre is located at 70 Kemble Street in Lenox.

UPCOMING: On April 23rd be sure to join us for our special celebration of William Shakespeare’s birthday with our Will 446 Birthday Bash! Audiences can enjoy Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World in the afternoon, then a special evening performance of Julius Caesar featuring some of the Company’s most promising rising stars, followed by a fun party that will include surprise guests, live musicians, delectables, libations and more! Julius Caesar, the Education Program’s New England tour of Shakespeare, has been on the road touring high schools, universities and theatres for the past three months and continues through Mid-May when it comes home to open the summer season in the Bernstein Theatre May 21—June 13.

Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped A World features Company artists Kelly Galvin (Les Liaison Dangereuses) Dana Harrison (White People 2009), David Joseph (Cindy Bella 2009), Josh McCabe (Les Liaison Dangereuses, The Hound of the Baskervilles), Meg O’Connor (Toad of Toad Hall), and Enrico Spada (Les Liaison Dangereuses). The presentation is part of S&Co.’s commitment to bringing the words of Shakespeare to life for learners and fun-lovers of all ages. Numerous family friendly programs this summer, such as the production of More Words! More Play!, part of the Bankside Festival, are presented in the same spirit.

“These Saturday afternoon presentations provide a chance for the local community to get in on the fun as well,” says Ware. “Earlier this month Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped A World began its two-month tour of Elementary and Middle Schools in Massachusetts, eastern New York, Connecticut and New Hampshire and we are thrilled to offer such an eclectic and dynamic taste of Shakespeare to audiences of all ages and this year to extend presentations during the April Vacation Week.”

The Education Program is one of the most extensive theatre-in-education programs in the Northeast, and has reached over a million students since 1978 with innovative performances, workshops, and residencies. Guided by Education Director Kevin G. Coleman and Company education artists and teachers, educators continue to develop and fine-tune their programs to enhance and complement curricular activities in elementary, middle, and high schools across the country. The Education Program received the prestigious 2006 Coming Up Taller Award presented by First Lady Laura Bush at the White House in January 2007, and in 2005 it also received the Commonwealth Award, the highest award for excellence in the arts, sciences and humanities given by the state of Massachusetts. It was also the subject of an in-depth, two-year study by Harvard University’s Project Zero which recommended national replication. The Education Program has been identified by the Arts Education Partnership and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities as a Champion of Change. . Shakespeare & Company arts-in-education programs receive major support from The National Endowment for the Arts, including the Shakespeare for a New Generation initiative, The National Endowment for the Humanities, Bank of America, the Massachusetts Cultural Council and its local cultural councils, Country Curtains and The Red Lion Inn, and many other local corporations, private foundations, and individuals.

From March 21-28 only, Chester Theatre Company will be hosting an online auction offering unique gifts and experiences, with all proceeds benefiting the organization.

Featured items include:

· A one-week stay in a private apartment in New York City

· A one-hour consultation with an esteemed architect

· Original artwork

· Theater tickets (of course!) and much more!

For detailed descriptions of items and a link to the auction website, go to www.chestertheatre.org

To donate an item or for more information, contact Vicki: 413-354-7770 or info@chestertheatre.org

Our 2010 Season will deliver everything Chester Theatre Company audiences have come to expect: plays of substance that are thought-provoking, captivating and deeply human.

But this year, there’s a twist.

In an unprecedented undertaking, CTC will present Arlene Hutton’s Nibroc Trilogy, a three play exploration of the extraordinary social changes sweeping the US between 1941and 1953 told through the experiences of two young Kentuckians who meet, fall in love and develop their own special kind of family.

Each play stands on its own, but experienced together, they deliver a compelling portrait of a changing America in mid-century.

The Trilogy plays will culminate with two Saturday performances of the entire trilogy, featuring a special event ticket that includes an afternoon ice cream social and an early evening dinner.

SUMMER SEASON 2010

MOLLY SWEENEY
June 30-July 11

Brian Friel, widely recognized as Ireland’s greatest living playwright, brings his unique brand of eloquence and warmth to the journey of three characters in search of a clear vision. There’s Molly, blind since early infancy, who undergoes an operation to restore her sight. There’s Frank, her husband, a dreamer and crusader who encourages her to take the risk. And finally, there’s Dr. Rice, trying to recapture the brilliance that once made him an internationally famous eye surgeon. As their stories interweave a poignant, engaging and deeply human tapestry is created that is both compelling and touching.

“Mr. Friel still writes like a dream.” – New York Times

“Beautiful and dazzling.” – New York Post

LAST TRAIN TO NIBROC
July 14-25

Christmas 1940, a soldier and a schoolteacher meet on a train somewhere west of Chicago, setting in motion a train of events neither can foresee. Arlene Hutton’s award winning comedy tracks May and Raleigh’s romance through years of missed connections.

This funny, touching portrait of two people searching for happiness was nominated by the New York Drama League for Best Play of 1999 and was a smash hit at CTC in 2001.

The Berkshire Eagle’s Ten Best of 2001 list called Last Train to Nibroc:

“The surprise of the season; an irresistible love story about two people who clearly are meant to be with one another but who each keep getting in their own way. Warm, funny, and unsentimental.”

SEE ROCK CITY
July 28-August 8

In this moving sequel, Raleigh and May have just returned from their honeymoon, and now must navigate a tricky strait that includes in-laws from very different backgrounds, the hardships of World War II in rural Kentucky, the demands of their diverging livelihoods, and even the possibility that their future might not be together.
In addition to exposing the plight of men like Raleigh whose ailments prevented service to their country, Hutton explores the difficulties facing May and millions of women who have joined the work force only to be denied their jobs once the men have returned from overseas.

The Berkshire Eagle hailed CTC hit 2005 production:

“Arlene Hutton has done a risky and wonderful thing, she has created a sequel that is every bit as accomplished as its progenitor.”

GULF VIEW DRIVE
August 11-22

1953. May and Raleigh have moved to Florida, where family pressures and turbulent events in their community threaten the dream of a quiet life together.

Their house seems to shrink as relatives arrive one by one, sharing surprising revelations that bring the nascent civil rights movement right to May and Raleigh’s door. Challenged to the very core of their beliefs, they must consider unconventional solutions in order to find peace in a changing world.

“Exquisitely quiet, gently reaching…Ms. Hutton knows how to weave the epic and the incidental with the lightest and least obtrusive thread.”
- The New York Times

An Unforgettable Event: The Trilogy in a Day

On Saturday, August 14 and Saturday, August 28, CTC will present the complete Trilogy in one day. Performances will begin at 1pm and conclude at 10pm.

Between the plays, audiences will be treated to a Kentucky style Ice Cream Social, a Box Dinner and discussions with CTC’s Artistic Director Byam Stevens.

Join us for an unforgettable experience you’ll be talking about for years to come!

FINAL AUDITION!!! MONDAY March 15th 6:30pm 40 Suburban Dr. Ashfield, MA Call (413)628-0221 for Directions and Info.

NEEDED: Young Men, Teens – 20s, needed for 2 Roles “Billy” and “Bartley” – AMAZING ROLES!!! Whether you are a seasoned actor or just a beginner, all are welcome and encouraged to audition. Auditions will consist of readings from the script with Director, Martin Shell.

Company: Ashfield Community Theater
Production Dates: May 28,29 & June 4,5
Rehearsals: Read Through in March, Rehearsals Begin in April

“McDonagh’s…comic talent appears unlimited, and he also has a way…of mixing up his humor with a touch of the poet and a profound sense of tragedy always dangerously lurking on comedy’s untidy fringe. In short, young McDonagh is a playwright to reckon with…” –The New York Post

“…McDonagh’s storytelling style…has the clarity and power of fable. Each character enters not only with his own idiosyncrasy but with his own distinct idiom. McDonagh skillfully juggles rhythms and repetitions so as to illuminate the sadness, defensiveness and longing for connection underneath the characters’ badinage.” –The New Yorker

* Billy – sixteen/seventeen. An orphan and cripple; his parents drowned whilst escaping to America. Billy lives with his two aunts Kate and Eileen. Billy likes to sit and watch cows. He dreams of making a new life for himself in America.
* Bartley – sixteen/seventeen. Helen’s brother. A little naïve, and very dependent on his sister, despite the regular spouts of physical abuse she directs at him. Bartley likes candy, especially the type from America, and wants a telescope.

“Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer…” Richard III

{Lenox, MA}—Tony Simotes, Shakespeare & Company’s Artistic Director, today announces the full lineup for the summer portion of S&Co.’s 33rd season, his first as Artistic Director. Joining the previously announced Mainstage titles is a special addition to the Founders’ Theatre lineup, plus the exciting programming at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theater and key casting info for the summer season. In addition to previous casting announcements, award-winning long-time Company actor Jonathan Epstein returns to S&Co. after a six-year absence to join the cast of The Winter’s Tale in the role of Leontes. Simotes also welcomes back Director Daniela Varon after a five-year absence, who will direct Sea Marks in the Bernstein this season.

NEW TO FOUNDERS’: After presenting the world premiere of Women of Will: Following the Feminine in Shakespeare, last week at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester, England, Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer will open the tenth season of excellence at Founders’ Theatre on May 25 with a two-month run of her magnificent opus, which also features Nigel Gore (Sir Toby in Twelfth Night, Claudius in Hamlet, Antony in Antony & Cleopatra). The duo will then team up again in an unforgettable, three-day event (August 25-27), with an expanded version of Women of Will titled Women of Will: The Complete Journey (the world premiere of the project’s full, five-part iteration) in the intimate confines of S&Co.’s state-of-the-art rehearsal studios. See website for further details about this three-day event and lunch & dinner options. www.shakespeare.org.

BERNSTEIN THEATRE: On May 21, the Education Program’s barnstorming school tour of Julius Caesar , directed by Jonathan Croy, comes home to open the Bernstein Theatre season with a three-week residency of a much-loved play featuring some of the most memorable and enduring turns of phrase in the English language. Longtime S&Co., director Daniela Varon (The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing) returns to direct Gardner McKay’s Sea Marks (July 9—September 4), a thoroughly affecting love story about two mismatched people brought together by the power of poetry. Sea Marks features Kristin Wold, seen the last two seasons as Emilia in Othello, and Walton Wilson (Brabantio in Othello and Gustav in The Ladies Man 2008) Long time Company actor Robert Lohbauer is featured in the world premiere of celebrated local playwright and author Daniel Klein’s riveting one-hander Mengelberg and Mahler (June 11—September 9), and Elizabeth Aspenlieder will be seen in a special remount of they hysterically-funny Bad Dates (August 4—September 12), the smash of the 2009 winter season that netted her an Elliot Norton Award and a nomination for an upcoming 2010 IRNE Award.

“I was a part of that merry band that trekked up here to Lenox with Tina Packer in 1978 and founded this place,” says Simotes. “As I announce the lineup for my first season as Artistic Director, I’m feeling intense excitement as well as profound appreciation for the legacy I’ve assumed stewardship over. A theme that comes up throughout the season is transformation, renewal and tradition. You might say that these seemingly divergent things are what Shakespeare & Company is all about. After announcing a few of the Founders’ titles a few months back, we are very pleased to be able to bring in Tina’s magnificent Women of Will production as well as welcome back a few long time Company artists with the return of Jonathan Epstein and Daniela Varon. And we are able to offer yet again another strong Bernstein Theatre line-up that brings back some of our favorite stalwart Company actors and directors, a world premiere, a revival, our Lunchbox Shakespeare, an expanded Studio Festival, and even more special events. We are also thrilled to have our new and creative Executive Chef on board who has taken our food service and offerings to a whole new level. I look forward to our new Saturday Feast like Falstaff buffet in between shows and especially the chance to meet our patrons and special guests all season long!
This action-packed lineup joins previously announced titles, Richard III (July 2—September 5) directed by Simotes and featuring OBIE Award-winner John Douglas Thompson as well as S&Co. actor and Training faculty member Tod Randolph, last seen onstage here in Enchanted April, the surprise smash of 2006. The Winter’s Tale (July 15—September 6) is directed by Kevin G. Coleman and features the return of longtime S&Co. actor Jonathan Epstein, last seen here in 2004’s King Lear alongside award-winning actor Elizabeth Aspenlieder. And Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer directs the world premiere of Joan Ackermann’s sumptuous new play The Taster (July 28 – September 6), featuring the return of longtime S&Co. artist Rocco Sisto, a Company founder, Broadway and off-Broadway veteran, and recipient of two OBIE Awards, a Drama League Award, and a Drama Desk Award nomination. Sisto acts alongside the celebrated opera singer Maureen O’Flynn in The Taster, who has performed several times with the Metropolitan Opera and other highly noted ensembles around the world; O’Flynn makes her debut with S&Co. this season.

TICKETS, DISCOUNTS & SAVINGS! There’s something for everyone to take advantage of this season with ticket prices ranging from $5 to $85 as well as FREE performances and special events for the whole family. Back by popular demand is the Full-Time Berkshire County Resident Discount, and a myriad of discounts available for Groups, Students, Seniors, Teachers and Military. Check out our incredible savings of 50 %, 40%, 30 %, 20% and 10% discounts off regular priced tickets and our NEW Premium tickets (Founders’ Opening nights and Saturday evening shows only) that include prime seating in section A, a complimentary glass of wine and an oh-so-decadent dessert—plus early seating! Both Founders’ and Bernstein theatres are wheelchair accessible and hearing-aid assisted. PLACE YOUR ORDER at: www.shakespeare.org or call the box office at (413) 637-3353 and learn more about the season, the players, the plays, discount availability, and to request a season brochure.

For GROUP SALES & SPECIAL EVENT RENTALS, contact Sales Director and Company actor David Joseph at (413) 637-1199 ext. 132 or GroupSales@shakespeare.org. Many of the Company actors are also Artist Managers, so you may see us running from greeting a group tour to dive into a sword fight in Richard III. Check out the bios in our season Playbill to see just how much Tony Simotes loves his artists to multi-task!

Also this season, the ever-popular Bankside Festival returns, headlined by Molière wild early comedy, The Amorous Quarrel, directed by Jenna Ware at the outdoor Rose Footprint Theatre. Free Preludes will precede performances of Richard III, The Winter’s Tale and The Taster from July 2 through September 5. The ever-growing Free reading of The Declaration of Independence returns once again at 3pm on July 4, preceded this year by Packer’s Revolutionary Moments, an exciting collection of dramatic scenes and discussion, featuring a wide host of Company artists, illustrating the influence of Shakespeare on inspirational leaders at key moments in world history, from Abraham Lincoln to Nelson Mandela. The Bankside Lecture Series returns with a series of six lively lectures and demonstrations, on Thursdays from July 1 through August 5. Shakespeare & Young Company on May 7 & 8 and August 18 & 20, features performances by the young actors in our Education Program’s Young Company, as they perform Shakespeare’s works with a fierce and fiery temperament. Newly expanded this year from one day to two, the Studio Festival of Plays (September 6 & 7 from 11am to 11pm) provides a rare chance to see cutting edge works in an informal setting, with Company artists presenting one-time staged readings of some of the most exciting new work around.

New additions to the schedule include a roster of Wednesday Q&A Sessions (July 7—August 25 included in show ticket price) following selected performances in both the Founders’ and Bernstein. Building from some of the biggest special-event hits in the 2009-2010 season, S&Co. welcomes back a series of five Tuesday Talks (July 6—August 3) featuring the actors, artists and scholars of Shakespeare & Company in intimate discussions about the process behind mounting our season’s productions, as well as the themes at the heart of these thought-provoking plays. Behind The Scenes Tours (July 4—September 4) also return, offering the chance to explore the behind-the-scenes workings of the costume shop, armory, backstage areas, and more! Saturday Feasts (every week in July and August from 5:00pm – 7:30pm) will include succulent grilled meats, savory fresh vegetables, decadent desserts and more, under the tent outside Founders’ Theatre.

Summer Season At A Glance

Founders’ Theatre:

Women of Will: Following the Feminine in Shakespeare’s Plays

By Tina Packer

Directed by Eric Tucker

Featuring: Tina Packer and Nigel Gore

Founders’ Theatre, May 28—July 24

Press Opening: Saturday, May 29 at 7:30pm

American premiere!

“And speak I will; I am no child, no babe”

A true tour de force of performance, discussion, and just a bit of crowd participation, Women of Will is the much-anticipated, masterful summation of Tina Packer’s 40-odd years of deep investigation into all things Shakespeare.

Packer and Shakespeare & Company favorite Nigel Gore, who have starred opposite each other in celebrated productions including Antony and Cleopatra and Hamlet, present a series of scenes from throughout Shakespeare’s canon, providing insight into the chronological growth of Shakespeare’s portrayal not only of female characters but of the qualities traditionally considered feminine. This comprehensive overview combines themes from the full, five-part opus, and covers the full breadth of Shakespeare’s works.

Women of Will: The complete journey (Parts 1-5)

By Tina Packer

Directed by Eric Tucker

Featuring: Tina Packer and Nigel Gore

Bernstein Studio 3, August 25—27

World premiere!

This can’t-miss extravaganza features the world premiere of the fully expanded, five-part version of Packer’s opus, performed in an intimate setting over the course of three days. Limited seating is available for this priceless opportunity to explore the depth of Shakespeare’s work with Shakespeare & Company’s visionary founder.

Richard III

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Artistic Director Tony Simotes

Featuring: John Douglas Thompson as Richard and Tod Randolph as Elizabeth. Other cast members include Jason Asprey, Johnny Lee Davenport, Nigel Gore, Elizabeth Ingram, Annette Miller, and Rocco Sisto.

Founders’ Theatre: July 2—September 5

Press Opening: Friday, July 9 at 7:30pm

“Since I cannot prove a lover…I am determined to prove a villain.”

At what price glory? One of Shakespeare’s most popular plays ever since its debut, Richard III is the story of a man who will do anything to become king—and the ruthless ambition that inevitably undoes him. This production, sure to be one of the most eagerly anticipated of the year, reunites award-winning actor John Douglas Thompson (as Richard) with S&Co. Artistic Director Tony Simotes, who directed Thompson in the 2008/2009 production of Othello that proved one of S&Co.’s most critically acclaimed box office hits ever. Thompson is joined by longtime S&Co. favorite Tod Randolph (Queen Elizabeth), last seen onstage here in Enchanted April, the surprising smash of 2006.

The Winter’s Tale

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Director of Education Kevin G. Coleman

Featuring: Elizabeth Aspenlieder as Hermione, Jonathan Epstein as Leontes, and Corinna May as Paulina. Other cast members include, Jason Asprey, Jonathan Croy, Johnny Lee Davenport, and Malcolm Ingram.

Founder’s Theatre: July 15—September 6

Press Opening: Friday, July 23 at 7:30pm

“If this be magic, let it be an art lawful as eating”

By turns enchanting and mysterious, hilarious and heartbreaking, this enigmatic tale has long beguiled audiences with its story of miraculous transformation and the enduring strength of family ties. This startling and original adventure is not quite a comedy, not quite a tragedy, but one hundred percent Shakespeare.

All seems well at court in Sicilia, but the jealous king recklessly pushes away those he loves—sending them on odysseys of self-renewal and enlightenment—only to finally reunite with his family sixteen years later. After memorable visits from some of Shakespeare’s funniest pastoral characters, it takes perhaps the most startling coup de theatre in the canon—and maybe just a touch of magic—to redeem a king’s shame, and make a broken family whole again. This production marks S&Co. Director of Education and Founder Kevin G. Coleman’s debut directing Shakespeare on the main stage, following his outrageous hits The Ladies Man (2008) and Rough Crossing (2009).

The Taster

By Joan Ackermann

Directed by Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer

Featuring: Maureen O’Flynn, Robert Biggs, and Rocco Sisto.

Founder’s Theatre: July 28—September 6

Press Opening: Saturday, July 31 at 7:30pm

“Could you taste my dreams as well?”

The Taster, a poignant and darkly funny play by Ackermann, makes its world premiere in Founders’ under the direction of Tina Packer, Founding Artistic Director, who directed the successful world premiere of Ackermann’s Ice Glen in 2005. This sumptuous feast of language introduces audiences to a world where the powers of literature and imagination co-mingle in the affairs of a contemporary couple at a crossroads.

Henry’s career and marriage are in ruins, and his opera-singing wife Claudia wonders why he spends his days translating an obscure play about a boorish King and his beloved food taster. But sometimes a dusty play can speak to us from the past and provide the sustenance we need. Characters pass between the present day and medieval times, weaving a richly layered tapestry of theatre. Henry finds the nourishment he craves in the simple wisdom of a man gifted not only in the art of tasting, but of selfless service to others.

Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre:

Julius Caesar

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Jonathan Croy and presented by S&Co.’s Education Program artists

Featuring: Katherine Abbruzzese, Jake Berger, Dani Cervone, Sean Kazarian, Andy Talen and perennial favorite Ryan Winkles (The Hound of the Baskervilles, Othello, Twelfth Night, Merry Wives of Windsor)

Bernstein Theatre: May 21—June 13

Press Opening: Saturday, May 22 at 8:00pm

“Men at some time are masters of their fates”

He was a leader so remarkable, his name would become immortal. Yet with each victory, Julius Caesar pushed Rome closer toward monarchy—a yoke its citizens proudly threw off hundreds of years before. Shakespeare’s account of the conspiracy to kill Caesar, and the wild struggle to achieve order from the chaos that resulted, has long been loved for the clarity and beauty of its language. From a soothsayer’s immortal warning for Caesar, to Marc Antony’s famous funeral speech, Julius Caesar is dotted with some of the most memorable and enduring turns of phrase in the English language. The annual New England Tour of Shakespeare is a core element of S&Co.’s Education Program. This pared-down, electric production toured schools and theatres for four months before taking up residency at the Bernstein. It features a cast of young S&Co. actors on the rise.

Mengelberg and Mahler

By Daniel Klein

Directed by Emile Fallaux

Featuring Robert Lohbauer

Bernstein Theatre: June 11—September 9

Press Opening: Saturday, June 12, 8:00pm

World premiere!

“Nothing less than a martyr will impress you.”

After fifty celebrated years leading the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Holland—during which he famously championed the work of Jewish composer Gustav Mahler—legendary maestro Willem Mengelberg is faced with the unexpected prospect of exile, in retribution for his perceived collaboration with the Nazis during their occupation of the Netherlands.

Lohbauer delivers a powerhouse performance in this gripping one-man show, jumping across time and memory as one man examines the choices he’s made, in a “conversation” with the memory of his friend and greatest inspiration. In the end, conscience is the surest judge.

The Comedy of Errors

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Dennis Krausnick

Presented by the Training Program’s Performance Intern Program participants

Bernstein Theatre: June 26 —September 4

Press Opening: Saturday July 3, 12:45pm

Lunchbox Shakespeare!

“Every why hath a wherefore”

A roar. A riot. A wild ride indeed.

The Comedy of Errors is one of Shakespeare’s earliest and most unbridled comedies. Belly laughs aplenty are found in the yawning gulf between the careful symmetry of the play’s structure and the whirlwind of its riotous plot. Stocked with multiple sets of identical twins (constantly mistaken for each other, of course) and laced with giddy wordplay, The Comedy of Errors offers a brilliant glimpse at Shakespeare beginning to come into his own as a master dramatist.

A continuation of the very popular Lunchbox Shakespeare tradition, this high-octane production is presented by the young actors in Shakespeare & Company’s professional actor training program—with a delicious lunch available for sale, to compliment your bite of Bard!

Sea Marks

By Gardner McKay

Directed by Daniela Varon

Featuring: Walton Wilson and Kristin Wold

Bernstein Theatre: July 9—September 4

Press Opening: Saturday, July 10 at 8:00pm

“I truly don’t know how I feel, but I know I never felt like this.”

For anyone who’s ever thought the chance for love has passed, comes this sea-swept tale of an unlikely romance springing at an unlikely moment. A fisherman from Ireland’s western islands has a poet’s touch but simple tastes, and a soul as deep as the ocean—which is his home, his religion, and his prison. A Welsh woman has left her native farm for the hustle-bustle of Liverpool and a career in publishing. Neither expected to find love later in life. But once the power of the written word brings them together, they are ready to try.

These two seemingly mismatched people are finally ready to cross the ocean of loneliness that has kept them stranded for far too long. But in the intersection of poetry, love and ambition, some good things endure while others break apart.

Bad Dates

By Theresa Rebeck

Featuring: Elizabeth Aspenlieder

Bernstein Theatre: August 4—September 12

Press Opening: Saturday, August 7 at 8:00pm

“Drop dead funny…Aspenlieder is a splendid stage comedienne whose zany acting is part of what makes Shakespeare & Company the best theater troupe in the Berkshires.”—The Wall Street Journal

The whirlwind winter hit of 2009 is back! By popular demand, S&Co. favorite Elizabeth Aspenlieder returns to the stage in the role for which she won a prestigious Elliot Norton Award (Best Solo Performance 2009) and was nominated for a 2010 IRNE Award. Aspenlieder pulls out all the stops as she slips into the role of single-mom-with-an-attitude Haley Walker, in this one-woman-wonder of a play. Haley balances the pressures that come with a new career as a fashionable New York City restaurateur, raising a teenaged daughter, and even a too-close-for-comfort relationship with the Romanian mob—and does so without neglecting to find the perfect pair of shoes.

A barnstorming box office hit and exultant critical favorite in winter 2009 season, Bad Dates returns this year at the peak of our summer season for all audiences to enjoy.

Bankside Festival:

The Amorous Quarrel

By Molière (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin)

Directed by Jenna Ware

Featuring: A fantastic line up from S&Co.’s family of resident artists to be announced.

Rose Footprint Theatre: June 23—August 28

Press Opening: Saturday, June 26, 5:30pm

“I thought you a man of sense, and till this moment had a good opinion of your wit, but by what I see I was very much deceived.”

Absurd misunderstandings? Check. A woman disguised as a man? You got it. Servants who appear to me much more in control of things than their masters? Of course. This wild, knock-about comedy, by one of the world’s greatest-ever satirical playwrights, headlines our Bankside Festival at the outdoor Rose Footprint Theatre this summer.

Moliere wrote this play early in his career, on the cusp between the dozen years he spent touring the countryside with unbridled farces and the wicked social satires with which he’d soon set Paris astir. The Amorous Quarrel contains a mix of both influences, with a pair of sometimes-silly gentleman pining hopelessly for the same Lady, while her sister—long disguised as a man—searches for a way to claim one of them as her own.

The Declaration of Independence

July 4, 3pm

Bankside meadow

Free!

Celebrate a revolutionary weekend! Our free, ever-popular reading of the Declaration of Independence features some of the most stirring words of political rhetoric ever written, spoken out loud by S&Co. actors and special guests from the community.

Revolutionary Moments

July 4, Noon

Bernstein Theatre

The Declaration of Independence is preceded this year by Revolutionary Moments, a special collection of vignettes compiled by Tina Packer and featuring S&Co. actors. Part performance, part narration, part discussion, Revolutionary Moments highlights the influence of Shakespeare on some of history’s most fascinating figures at key moments of decision. Not to be missed!

More Words! More Play!

By Wolfe Coleman and Tom O’Keefe

Director Steve Ginsburg

Rose Footprint Theatre: August 12—September 5

Free!

Presented by the Training Program’s Performance Intern Program participants

In the tradition of popular S&Co. productions Wild and Whirling Words, Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped A World, and last year’s hilarious premiere Wordplay, this fast-paced and fascinating tour through Shakespeare’s life, times, and work is fun for the whole family.

Preludes

July 2—September 5

Free!

Warm up for performances of Richard III, The Winter’s Tale and The Taster with a delightful morsel of Elizabethan-era street performance! Frequently including song, combat displays, and riveting selections from Shakespeare, these free performances on our outdoor Bankside Terrace outside Founders’ Theatre provide a great way to get in the spirit before our main stage Shakespeare productions.

Shakespeare & Young Company

Founders’ Theatre: May 7 and 8, 8pm; Rose Footprint Theatre: August 18 and 20, 5pm

$15 adult/ free for ages 18 and under

No writer has captured the powerful emotions of adolescence better than Shakespeare. In his words, youth spring eternal. Join our Young Company actors as they perform Shakespeare’s works with a fierce and fiery temperament, exploring their passion for friendship, love, justice, and hope.

Bankside Lectures

A popular tradition at S&Co., these free lectures, fascinating presentations and entertaining demonstrations explore the key themes and contexts behind our season’s roster of plays, Shakespeare’s life and times, and the inner workings of S&Co.

1.) Molière: a classic wit

Director Jenna Ware and Special Guest

Rose Footprint Theatre: July 1, 5:30pm

Free!

Legendary French playwright Molière was a master of expertly skewering the very same aristocratic class that rightly celebrated him and championed his work. This summer, Shakespeare & Company presents Molière’s The Amorous Quarrel at the Rose Footprint Theatre. Learn about this legendary wit and his impact on comedy throughout the ages.

2.) A National Epic: Creating a ‘history cycle’ of American plays

Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer

Rose Footprint Theatre: July 6, 5:30pm

Free!

In 2009, Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer and Phillip Sneed, the president of the Shakespeare Theatre Association of America and Artistic Director of Colorado Shakespeare, announced the launch of a grand project: to commission a series of plays grappling with the whole of American history. Shakespeare & Company is proud to be commissioning a play for this project. Join Tina as she talks about the inspiration for creating such a cycle, and what she is doing to make it happen.

3.) Fight!

Artistic Director Tony Simotes

Rose Footprint Theatre: July 15, 5:30pm

Free!

Tony Simotes is a master teacher of Fight and Movement, who has spent decades mastering the craft while working for films, television, and countless unforgettable fights onstage at Shakespeare & Company. Learn the secrets behind the thrilling displays of stage fighting on display this season, and how physical story telling brings our plays alive. An interactive demonstration that’s fun for the whole family!

4.) Dance With Me

S&Co. artist Kristin Wold and Director of Training Dennis Krausnick

Rose Footprint Theatre: July 22, 5:30pm

Free!

Whether it’s a period-appropriate Elizabethan Masque or something wholly original, dance and expressive physical movement are at the heart of Shakespeare & Company’s performance aesthetic and actor training methodologies. How does the poetry of movement help tell a story, while entertaining at the same time? Join S&Co. faculty members for a demonstration, and don’t leave before picking up a few nifty dance moves of your own.

5.) Send in the clowns!

Director of Education Kevin G. Coleman

Rose Footprint Theatre: July 29, 5:30pm

Free!

Clowning was one of the founding staples of Shakespeare’s theatre, and an integral component of Shakespeare & Company’s performances and actor training programs since Day One. Kevin’s workshop on clowning is one of the most popular weekend programs for professional actors. Join him for this lively and engaging talk as he explores the importance of the clown, then and now.

6.) Ready To Wear

Costume Director Govane Lohbauer

Rose Footprint Theatre: August 5, 5:30pm

Free!

Whether building period costumes from scratch for Founders’ Theatre, dealing with backstage costume emergencies or outfitting 300 students in ten Fall Festival of Shakespeare shows all at the same time, Govane has seen it all. Learn the methods behind the madness.

Special events and more…

Studio Festival of Plays

Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre: September 6 and 7, 11am—11pm

Suggested donation: $16 per performance

Newly expanded this year from one day to two, the Studio Festival provides a rare chance to see cutting edge works in an informal setting, with Company artists presenting one-time staged readings of some of the most exciting new work around. Many Studio Festival plays are under consideration for future seasons; past plays that have gone on to celebrated full productions include this year’s Mengelberg and Mahler plus Golda’s Balcony, Martha Mitchell Calling and A Tanglewood Tale, to name a few.

Tuesday Talks

Tuesdays at 5pm, July 6—August 3

$8 adults/ $5 aged 18 and under

Join the actors, artists and scholars of Shakespeare & Company for intimate discussions about the process behind mounting our season’s productions, as well as the themes at the heart of these thought-provoking plays. One of the most popular additions to our season last year, Tuesday Talks return, providing a great chance to find out what makes us tick, and share your own perspective on the work as well.

July 6: Women of Will (Josie’s Place at Founders’ Theatre)

July 13: New Voices in the Bernstein: Sea Marks and Mengelberg & Mahler (Bernstein Studio 1)

July 20: Shakespeare’s Richard III (Founders’ Theatre Tent)

July 27: Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale (Founders’ Theatre Tent)

August 3: Commissioning New Works: The Taster (Founders’ Theatre Tent)

Wednesday Q&A sessions

Wednesdays, July 7—August 25

Included with ticket price for each performance

Our productions are bound to get you talking. But why not include Company actors in your post-show conversation? Join us for these performances and enjoy an informal Q&A with the actors. Have a nagging question you’ve been dying to ask since intermission? Here’s your chance!

July 7 following The Amorous Quarrel

July 14 following Mengelberg & Mahler

July 21 following Richard III

July 28 following Sea Marks

August 4 following The Taster

August 11 following The Comedy of Errors

August 18 following The Winter’s Tale

August 25 following Bad Dates

Behind the Scenes Tours

10am on Wednesdays and Saturdays, July 4—September 4

Tours begin at Josie’s Place in Founders’ Theatre

$8 adults/$5 aged 18 and under

Our popular Backstage Tours return! These two-hour adventures take you through the inner workings of Shakespeare & Company. Explore the behind-the-scenes workings of the costume shop, armory, backstage areas, and more. You’ll also get an insider’s view of the nuts and bolts that underpin a day in the life at the height of our season.

Feast Like Falstaff!

Founders’ Theatre Tent: Every Saturday in July and August, 5:00pm to 7:30pm

Just $25 per person!

Join us for a fabulous feast that is sure to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites. Our new Executive Chef and culinary experts use the freshest and most delectable Berkshire Grown ingredients in all of their inventive dishes: succulent grilled meats, savory fresh vegetables, hearty pastas, decadent desserts, and so much more! This is the perfect way to take the evening air while enjoying our stupendous views and an in-between meal, while perhaps rubbing elbows with hungry S&Co. artists filling up before or after their performance. Order 24 hours in advance to guarantee availability; walk-ups are welcome on a space-available basis. Reserve your meal from the Box Office, (413) 637-3353 or www.shakespeare.org.

And don’t forget to visit our bustling concessions stands before and after the show. Open six days a week, they are stocked full with homemade treats from delectable truffles to scrumptious soups, and some of the best brews in Berkshire County! Our best-in-class food service crew is ready to make your group visit or special event a memorable one, from soup to nuts. Keep an eye out for special tastings, brunches, and feasts all season long.

More to come!

On the heels of the successful expansion of our season in recent years, Shakespeare & Company presents a Fall and Winter season that is not to be missed! What will be this year’s runaway shoulder-season hits, in the tradition of The Hound of the Baskervilles, Bad Dates, The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, and Les Liaisons Dangereuses Keep an eye out for our Fall, Holiday Season, and Winter titles.

*Please note, titles, actors and dates subject to change.