Shakespeare & Company News

The Atlanta Shakespeare Company at The New American Shakespeare Tavern presents Hamlet in repertory with Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Hamlet, directed by Heidi Cline-McKerley, will run tonight, May 4-19 and May 30, June 1, 7, 9, 13, 15, 21, 23, 2013.

Closing African-American Shakespeare Company's 2012-13 season is William Shakespeare's THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, directed by Becky Kemper. THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR reunites audiences with the ever-merry, ever-scheming character Sir John Falstaff from Shakespeare's history plays King Henry IV, Part 1 and King Henry IV, Part 2, this time at the center of a comedy of his own. THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR plays tonight, May 4 through May 26 (press opening: May 4) at the Buriel Clay Theater at the African American Art and Culture Complex in San Francisco. For tickets ($10-35) and more information, the public may call 1-800-838-3006 or visit African-AmericanShakes.org.

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced last week that the Atlanta Shakespeare Company is one of 817 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. The resident company of the New American Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta is recommended for a $30,000 grant to support their Total Access Shakespeare residency programming with local public schools.

Alexander Masters' Stuart: A Life Backwards, written by Jack Thorne, comes to the Studio Theatre from Thursday 12 September - Saturday 28 September, following its world premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and tour to the Watford Palace Theatre.

Alexander Masters' Stuart: A Life Backwards, written by Jack Thorne, comes to the Studio Theatre from Thursday 12 September - Saturday 28 September, following its world premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and tour to the Watford Palace Theatre.

San Francisco's African-American Shakespeare Company has announced the lineup for its 19th season. The season marks African-American Shakespeare Company's fourth season under the artistic leadership of acclaimed Bay Area actor and director L. Peter Callender.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the Artistic Direction of Diane Paulus, is pleased to announce its 2013/14 Season, which includes the previously announced Robert Schenkkan's play All the Way and the world premiere of the musical Witness Uganda.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL had its first national TV appearance on yesterday's 'Good Morning America'. The cast performed the galvanizing 'Revolting Children' and iconic 'Naughty.' Watch the exciting performance below!

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the Artistic Direction of Diane Paulus, has just announced its 2013/14 Season, which includes the previously announced Robert Schenkkan's play All the Way and the world premiere of the musical Witness Uganda.

Washington Ensemble Theatre presents Tall Skinny Cruel Cruel Boys by Caroline V. McGraw, directed in its World Premiere by Jane Nichols, running May 31 - June 24, 2013.

Following the award-nominated 2012 production of Howard Barker's Lot and His God, Artistic Director Anda Winters announces that the acclaimed writer returns to The Print Room for a series of readings performed by his own company as part of his festival Screaming in Advance today, May 3 and May 4.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Cincinnati's stage for the classics, is pleased to present Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure", playing from May 3-26, 2013. This production is directed by CSC Producing Artistic Director, Brian Isaac Phillips and features Kelly Mengelkoch, Brent Vimtrup and Nicholas Rose. The design of this production is generously sponsored by Cincinnati Book Publishing.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the 2013 Shakespeare Festival. Festival Artistic Director Adrian Noble returns to San Diego for his fourth and final year of Festival programming. The internationally acclaimed director will helm productions of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and Tom Stoppard's classic farce, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Laurence Olivier Award-nominated director Ian Talbot will make his Old Globe debut with the enduring Shakespeare favorite A Midsummer Night's Dream. The 2013 Shakespeare Festival, performed in repertory in the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, runs June 2 - Sept. 29. Subscription tickets from $66 to $270. Single tickets start at $29. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

I've always been leery of transplanting locales and time periods of classic plays just because we can. Naked 'Macbeth', 'Romeo and Juliet' in a high school, cartoon lions in Africa doing 'Hamlet'. Often times it's just to shake things up and lends nothing to the story. But the current production of 'The Taming of the Shrew' from Seattle Shakespeare Company setting those battling lovers in a Trailer Park not only works but is also completely inspired. In an era of reality TV showing rednecks right and left, a story of feuding siblings, ball busting women and swaggering men is a perfect fit. And while I usually hate reality TV for it's mocking of people it feels are inferior, this production shows no hate or contempt for the trailer park set but revels in their joy and boisterousness and invites you to laugh right along WITH them. And laugh you do!

Space is still available for visual and performing arts summer camps at the Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) in Ellicott City. Programs are open to the public, regardless of residency in Howard County, for students entering grades K-7. Campers must be a minimum of five years of age by September 1, 2013 to be eligible for summer camp.

Tennessee Shakespeare Company, the Mid-South's professional, classical theatre and education organization, is offering two unique, immersive Shakespeare Play Camps to be held at the Poplar Pike Playhouse at Germantown High School this June. Camps are open to students entering Grades 6-12.

The Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) has announced Willy Russell's (Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine) BLOOD BROTHERS, musical staging by Christine O'Grady, musical direction by Julianne B. Merrill, and directed by Tom Wojtunik. BLOOD BROTHERS will play a limited engagement at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church (30-44 Crescent St, Astoria, NY 11102. Entrance on 30th Road.) Performances begin tonight, May 2 and continue through Saturday, May 18.