Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Summer is a comin' (Previews Start Tomorrow!)

Ah, summer time. At the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, summer officially starts at our annual Memorial Day Bar-b-cue, welcoming the next generation of theatre professionals as they come from across the continent to join our Summer Professional Training Program. During the next 11 weeks, you can look forward to occasional updates on their work here as they work side-by-side with their mentors and peers to help us put up our exciting season.

Speaking of our exciting season, the FM Kirby Shakespeare Theatre is electric with activity as our brilliant artists put a final polish on the first show of the season, The Misanthrope by Moliere. Previews start tomorrow night, in preparation for our opening night, three hundred and forty-five years to the day after the premiere in Paris by the playwright's own company.

To celebrate, local businesses are getting in on the excitement by planning events at their stores and providing resources to help you have a "truly French" evening, combining the fine arts with le art de vivre. 

Gary's Wine and Marketplace, longtime friend of the theatre, is commemorating our opening night with a themed tasting of French wines on Saturday, June 4 at their stores in Madison, Wayne, and Bernardsville. Come over on Saturday from 12pm to 4pm and learn the flavors of France!
There's no better night out than a great French meal followed by a great French show, and Robert Ubhaus, Chef and owner of Resto and Rob's Bistro (acclaimed eateries and friends of the Theatre) welcomes Shakespeare Theatre patrons to dine pre-show (but don't forget to BYO!)

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Excitement is in the air! 6 Days to 2011 season!


A continent away and exactly 345 years to the day after it premiered at the Theatre du Palais-Royal in Paris, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will officially open its production of Molière’s The Misanthrope, translated into English verse by Richard Wilbur.  Preview performances of The Misanthrope begin on June 1, and the official opening is June 4, the exact date the comedy premiered in Paris in 1666. Performances of The Misanthrope continue through June 26 at the Theatre’s Main Stage – the intimate F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre 
Considered one of the world’s greatest masters of comedy, Molière is also the author of The School for Wives, Tartuffe, The Miser and The Imaginary Invalid among many others.  The Misanthrope, often considered Molière’s finest achievement, features the misanthropic Alceste – a “fallen idealist” whose obsession with honesty and his rejections of society’s often hypocritical social conventions wreak havoc on his life.  Molière’s enduring masterpiece bites as sharply and as hilariously now as it did in Paris in 1666, and while the play supplies a hefty dose of laughter and delight, it also delivers profound and sharp barbs about humankind’s foibles and transgressions.   

 
The Misanthrope is directed by Artistic Director Bonnie J. Monte (now in her 21st season with the Theatre,) who has directed more than 40 productions in her two decades at its helm, including the recent No Man’s Land, King Lear, Hamlet, and A Streetcar Named Desire




The Rest of the Season!

The Shakespeare Theatre’s annual Outdoor Stage production at the Greek amphitheater at the College of St. Elizabeth in Morris Township features the world’s most popular comedy – Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  This newly conceived, exuberant, 90-minute production is perfect for children and families of all ages and will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Outdoor Stage in jubilant style. Our Outdoor Stage productions have become a perennial favorite for families of all ages, and a perfect opportunity to see Shakespeare under-the-stars!    
A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs from June 22 through July 31 at the outdoor amphitheatre on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth. 

Back on the Main Stage is William Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens.  This taut 90 minute version of Shakespeare’s rarely-produced play is an extraordinary explosion of imaginative staging and resonant themes.  Resident director Brian Crowe mixes up a sublime blend of Grand Guignol, Vaudeville, and Brechtian theatricality in his inventive adaptation. 
Timon of Athens runs from July 6 through July 24. 

Dario Fo’s brilliantly funny, irreverent political farce, The Accidental Death of An Anarchist, embodies the modern Fo-brand of commedia theatre that has helped define him as a playwright of the people. The Nobel Prize Committee called him a writer “who emulates the jesters of the Middle Ages in scourging authority and upholding the dignity of the downtrodden.” Inspired by a real-life event involving a man who “fell” from the window of a police station, Fo has invented an outrageously sly and caustic comedy filled with physical and linguistic acrobatics.    
Accidental Death of An Anarchist performances are August 3- August 28. 

William Shakespeare’s Othello is next.  Not seen on The Shakespeare Theatre stage since 2003, this tale of love, jealousy, and betrayal remains as compelling today as when it first exploded onto the stage in 1604.  Often described as Shakespeare’s most perfect play, the epic downfall of the Moor of Venice and his beautiful Desdemona at the hands of the uber-villain Iago, remains one of the world’s most heartbreaking tales.   
Othello runs September 7 through October 2.  


To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee and adapted by Christopher Sergel, is next and features an extended 6-week run.  The characters of Atticus Finch, Scout, and Boo Radley have become iconic figures in the American consciousness and conscience. Harper Lee’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel is considered one of the most important works of the 20th century, and it is a must for every new generation.  The story’s enduring spell stems in part from the juxtaposition of the simple, yet astute innocence of a child’s point of view in the face of terrible and terribly complex adult problems and biases.  The fundamental lessons about compassion, integrity, and courage are breath-taking and life-changing.   
To Kill A Mockingbird will run from October 12 through November 15.   
To Kill a Mockingbird is made possible in part by a generous grant from The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.  


To celebrate the Holiday Season, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will present Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol adapted for the stage by Neil BartlettBartlett’s unique and inventive adaption is ingenious in its approach to this timeless holiday tale, and profoundly captures the true essence of the original novel.  With a cast of nine actors playing more than 50 roles, this production features a new visual landscape which conjures up this delightful, funny, haunted and haunting morality tale that, in the end is always beautifully touching.   
 A Christmas Carol begins performances on December 1 and continues through January 1.


Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Shakesperience 2011

The FM Kirby Shakespeare Theatre was hopping with activity last Monday and Tuesday as hundreds of high schoolers from the region performed brief adaptations of Shakespeare Plays for their peers and a panel of professional Classical Artists as part of Shakesperience 2011.

There is no end of hilarity at Shakesperience.




Part of a mission-driven educational initiative, Shakesperience pairs the unbridled energy of young artists with the experiential wisdom and critical eye of members of Shakespeare Theatre's company of talent. 
"Master of Revels" Kaufman leads students in a performance game.



 

Each day's activities included performances by the schools in attendance, as well as Shakespearean 
diversions and activities led by Nathan Kaufman, the "Master of Revels," culminating in "Shakespeare Game Night," a game show testing students' knowledge of all things Bardic.
Shakesperience judge Jay Liebowitz gives insight and awards to area students.
After a long day of strong performances and fine games-manship, awards were distributed by the panel of judges to reward some of the finest solo and ensemble performances of the day. 

Shakesperience is part of a battery of programs offered through the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's Education Department, and represents an exciting and essential mission to invest time and talent in helping young people find their voices.  
Starting at age 11, educational residencies and summer programs make it easier than ever to help young people gain the confidence and literacy that comes from classical performance by getting hands-on with talented peers and professional mentors; Shakespeare Theatre's traveling companies bring professional productions of abbreviated works directly to your communities. 
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is excited to join the Recorder network of blogs; subscribe to us via your favorite RSS reader for updates on programming, special events, and guest content from visiting artists and our professional interns!