The Endangered Species (theatre) Project Presents The 2nd Annual FREDERICK SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

The Endangered Species (theatre) Project presents its second annual Frederick Shakespeare Festival from August 15 to September 7th. The festival features: "A Comedy of Errors" (Main-Stage), a teen production of Sense and Sensibility by Kate Hamill (based on the Jane Austin Novel), and staged readings from Shakespeare's famous love scenes.

Opening August 15th, it's Shakespeare's earliest (and shortest) comedy of Double-Trouble, The Comedy of Errors. The laughs fly fast in this high comedy farce. Five Live (livestreamed!) online performances: Saturday, August 15 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, August 16 at 4 p.m., Monday, August 17th at 7 p.m., Saturday, August 29th at 7 p.m. and Sunday, August 30th at 3 p.m. August 30th performance will include ASL interpretation.
Tickets are "pay-what-you-can" with various pricing options including 'free'. Tickets at www.test-p.org

The Comedy of Errors is directed by Christine Mosere with Rachel Smith as production stage manager with Ian Travano and Ryan Leach as technical directors and OBS/Stream-lab advisors. The show features actors from Baltimore, California, and Frederick -- including Deaf actor, poet, and activist Ayisha Knight-Shaw as Egeon, with Suzanne Beal as Egeon's best friend and interpreter, 'Florian'. Also in the cast are Aaron Angello as both Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus, George Michael Harris** as both Dromio of Syracure and Dromio of Ephesus, Ryan Leach as Pinch, Angelo and Ensemble, Cristina Sanchez as Luciana and Second Merchant, Gillian Shelly-Lawler* as Adriana, and Mani Yangilmau as the Duke, Abbess, and Ensemble. Patrick Cole and Alecia Cole are our ASL interpreters.
*member of Actors Equity Association; **member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity Association

Director Christine Mosere is pleased to bring Ayisha Knight-Shaw into this production from California and expects this to be the first of many ESP mainstage shows that utilize the talents of Deaf actors working side-by-side with hearing actors. The biggest challenge, Mosere says, is working out the rhythmic connection between ASL and spoken English while Egeon is on stage. "There can be differences in timing between ASL and spoken English and working with Ayisha and Suzanne (Beal) to create rhythmic syncopation is new to me and quite exciting. Adding a Deaf actor highlights the beauty of Shakespeare's use of language and communication." Another challenge of bringing a festival online is finding new and exciting ways to use an online platform to make the show feel professional, alive, and unique. Christine is working with Ryan Leach and Ian Travano to make this magic happen. Aaron Angello added that working side-by-side with George Michael Harris (a staple, and former Director of Baltimore Improv Group) makes the difficulty of creating online slapstick so much fun.

All tickets are "pay-what-you-can" with various ticketing options and can be purchased on our website at www.test-p.org.

Also in the Festival: 18 area teens bring Kate Hamill's Sense & Sensibility to life with a live-streamed dress rehearsal on Thursday, August 20 at 7 p.m. and a live-streamed opening night on Friday, August 21st with two more streamed performances on 8/22 at 3 p.m. and 8/24 at 7 p.m. "Sense & Sensibility" features 18 teens whose various school plays were canceled before they opened due to Covid-19.) This production is directed by Deanna Kinzie with Dillon Mitcham as Production Stage Manager and Ryan Leach as OBS/Steamlab technician.

Plus look for live-streamed readings from various Famous Love Scenes in the Cannon directed by Christine Mosere and Dillon Mitcham and starring Surasree Das & Sean Bryne and Shelly Lynn Walsh & Daniel Maldonado*, and Morgan Southwell and Faith Taylor. Famous Love Scenes will be LiveStreamed (both online and with readings at Sky Stage) throughout the festival and ending on September 7.

More information and ticketing on www.test-p.org

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