Shakespeare & Company News

It's often been observed of Shakespeare that his plays don't tell you what he thinks about most subjects. But it is hard to doubt that he believed in romantic love, that mad, intoxicating, all-encompassing feeling that inspires courtship and marriage. Many of his comedies are essentially love delivery vehicles, giddy confections that give the audience an extraordinarily broad license just to roll in the bliss of it. I think especially of Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. But the most love-mad of all is surely As You Like It. And thankfully, that love-mad champagne feeling is served up nearly full-force in the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's latest rendering of the play.

Below, watch the trailer for the Royal Shakespeare Company's Henry IV Part I & II! Henry IV Part I can currently be seen in cinemas across the U.S. through July 3. Henry IV Part II can be seen from July 5 - August 4. They were filmed for 'Live from Stratford-upon-Avon,' the RSC program that screens the world's greatest classical theatre company from Shakespeare's home town around the world through a continued partnership with Picturehouse Entertainment.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) will be celebrating its 35th season with a black-tie gala tonight, June 21. Congresswoman Nicola Tsongas will present the Paul Tsongas Award to UMass Lowell Chancellor Marty Meehan in recognition of his long-time personal support and his continued work to build and expand MRT's partnership with UMass Lowell. The event will also feature the Reduced Shakespeare Company presenting 'The Complete History of MRT (abridged),' a 10-minute sketch created especially for this event.

Shakespeare & Company's Artistic Director Tony Simotes sets his new production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in the mysterious bayous of New Orleans just as the Jazz Era in America was exploding. The production features original music, live musicians, a Drama League partnership, and a cast of over a dozen seasoned Company actors and newcomers.

As promised, Tennessee Shakespeare Company is moving its administrative office - right this moment, in fact. We will be transitioning there over the next several days.

Based upon the legendary Roman general, Caius Martius Coriolanus, William Shakespeare's play, Coriolanus, tells the story of a man whose excessive hubris leads to banishment from his country, and a bloody downfall.

The Hollywood Reporter has an exclusive first look at BBC America's new drama THE MUSKETEERS, which debuts this Saturday, June 22nd at 9:00pm ET. The show is set on the streets of seventeenth century Paris, where law and order is more of an idea than a reality. In addition to being King Louis XIII's personal bodyguards, Athos, Aramis and Porthos stand resolutely for social justice, honor, valor, love – and for the thrill of it. The 10-part season (10 x 75mins), created by Adrian Hodges (My Week With Marilyn, Primeval).

The Puppet Shakespeare Players and STT Productions present the world premiere of PUPPET TITUS ANDRONICUS - a fresh, comedic take on Shakespeare's "worst" play performed in the style of "Avenue Q" - Off-Broadway at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street) in Manhattan. Directed by Ryan Rinkel, PUPPET TITUS ANDRONICUS will begin preview performances on July 24 prior to an official press opening of July 30, and will continue to play through August 17.

The Daily Mail writes that Tamsin Greig will star in the West End in WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, based on Pedro Almodovar's 1988 film. Bartlett Sher returns in the director's chair for the production -- he helmed the Broadway cast in 2010. 'BREAKDOWN' begins previews at the Playhouse Theatre on December 20, with an opening slated for January 12, 2015.

59E59 Theaters will welcome Chicago's A Red Orchid Theatre, in association with Bisno Productions, with the NYC premiere of THE OPPONENT, written by Brett Neveu and directed by Karen Kessler. THE OPPONENT begins performances on Thursday, July 31 for a limited engagement through Sunday, September 7. Press opening is Wednesday, August 6 at 7:30 PM.

Stuart Vaughan, who together with famed producer Joseph Papp, staged several of the New York Shakespeare Festival's inaugural productions died of cancer on Tuesday, June 10

The internationally-renowned, award-winning Propeller Theatre Company today announced actor Lewis Hart as the winner of the second Jill Fraser Award.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces today the 2014/15 World's Stage Series-bringing the most fresh and innovative work from theater companies around the world to Chicago and touring CST-developed productions to festivals abroad. From Australia, South Africa, France, England, Scotland and Belgium, this season's offerings for Chicago audiences feature productions from eight internationally acclaimed theater companies. In keeping with the mission of the World's Stage program to serve as an international cultural ambassador for Chicago, the Theater is also touring CST-produced work abroad to Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

A newly announced grant of $290,000 from the State of Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF) will support Shakespeare & Company's long term goal of creating an integrated 'green' campus and moves it one step closer to restoring and renovating its 33-acre property. The grant is part of a new round of Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund grants -- totaling close to $14 million -- which are set to boost the state's creative sector by supporting new building projects for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, schools, and communities across Massachusetts.

The Grand Haven-based Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company will open its summer production of Coriolanus at the Dog Story Theater, 7 Jefferson SE in Grand Rapids, today, June 19. The production will run at Dog Story June 19-21 and 26-28 at 8:00 p.m., and June 22 and 29 at 3:00 p.m..

A curse lies upon the land of Thebes and its ill-fated rulers that reiterates generation upon generation. Casey Stangl directs the world premiere of The Curse of Oedipus, written by Kenneth Cavander and developed by The Antaeus Company. Opening weekend for the fully double-cast production runs today, June 19 -22 at the Antaeus Theater in NoHo.

The Royal Shakespeare Company has been running relaxed performances in Stratford-Upon-Avon since 2013, but Sunday marked their first ever relaxed performance - of Matilda - for a West End audience, bringing the stage adaptation of Roald Dahl's courageous and loved tale to audiences affected by autism and other learning disabilities.