Shakespeare & Company's SHAKESPEARE IN THE COURTS Celebrates 15 Years Tonight

Shakespeare & Company's groundbreaking Shakespeare in the Courts program celebrates its 15th year with a presentation of scenes and sword-play from Henry V tonight, March 25th at 7pm in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. Led by Company directors and teaching artists, the Shakespeare in the Courts six-week long program guides adjudicated youth, who meet four times a week, in an exploration of Shakespeare's plays.

The Bernstein Theatre is located at 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA. Attendance to the presentation is by invitation only and not open for review.

Shakespeare in the Courts program, launched in 2001 in collaboration with the Berkshire Juvenile Court, takes place in Pittsfield and in North Adams (which performs in May-date and time TBA), and culminates in a 45-minute presentation of Shakespeare scenes selected for each group. Each production is supported by costume and technical staff at S&Co., and is performed in front of an invited audience of family, friends, juvenile court and probation staff, the district attorney's office, and Company members.

Through the rehearsal and performance process participants delve into Shakespeare's texts and explore scenes and monologues that speak to their own lives. As a result, they are able to learn how to articulate their thoughts and feelings, listen to and respect the feelings of others, make and keep a commitment through personal investment, take ownership of the project through a collaborative process with one another, and foster a sense of accomplishment both individually and as a group. Directors of this year's Shakespeare in the Courts program include Jennie M. Jadow (Program Director), and Company teaching artists Jonathan Croy and Josh Aaron McCabe.

The Courts program is a long-standing collaboration between S&Co. and the Berkshire Juvenile Court, originally conceived by Judge Paul Perachi and S&Co. Director of Education Kevin G. Coleman. The Courts program has thrived with the steadfast support of First Justice, the Hon. Daniel J. Swords, the Hon. Judge Judith Locke, the Hon. Judge Joan McMenamy, Chief Probation Officer William Gale, Assistant Chief Probation Officer Jim Hunt, Assistant Chief Probation Officer Peter Kotch, Probation Officers Alexander Daugherty, Nancy Macauley, Colleen Murphy, Tim McElroy and the City of Pittsfield and the City of North Adams.

"This program is a natural extension of our mission," says Jadow. "We have taken our award winning Education programming and used it to make Shakespeare's text accessible and available to the participants sent to us by the Juvenile Court. The result is a sense of pride and ownership in the work they are doing, as well as an increased ability to work collaboratively with their peers. We've seen how this experience can be tremendously valuable and healing as they move forward in their lives. It's a win-win situation for all involved."

The Courts program was originally funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, and has been generously supported by Massachusetts Cultural Council's YouthReach Initiative for more than a decade. Additional support has been provided by: The Feigenbaum Foundation; Pittsfield Cultural Council; Berkshire County District Attorney's Office; The Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire; and individuals.

The Education Program at Shakespeare & Company 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, Associate Director Jenna Ware and Company artists, teachers and directors, the Education Program continues to develop and fine-tune programs for elementary, middle, and high schools across the country. The Courts Program received the prestigious Coming Up Taller Award at the White House in 2006.

Visit: www.Shakespeare.org/education for more information on all of Shakespeare & Company's exciting Education Programs, or contact Associate Director of Education Jenna Ware at (413) 637-1199 ext. 172.

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