Woodstock Shakespeare Players Partners With Woodstock Opera House With Free Summer Shakespeare in the Woodstock Square

Woodstock Shakespeare Players is back for its second season and this year, not only have they partnered with the Woodstock Opera House. With an all new script written by Angie Kells (and William Shakespeare) with Jason Ryan Lovett and Billy Seger, this is a Shakespeare sketch comedy mashup that's fun for the entire family. Whether you are new to Shakespeare, suffered through it in high school English class or are a Shakespearean scholar, you'll be sure to enjoy "A Bit Of The Bard: Something Wicked." The 90 minute (or so) show includes singing, puppets, swords, quarterstaff battles and a whole lot of laughs!

Artistic Director and Co-Founder Angie Kells said, "This year's script is a staggering compilation of both comedy and drama. In this, our sophomore year of our "A Bit O' The Bard" series, we're referencing almost twenty of Shakespeare's plays including Richard III, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Othello, The Winter's Tale...even King Lear and Titus Andronicus! People will definitely get to sample a wide variety of Shakespeare's work this year, and it's all doled out in a fun, light-hearted, and easily-digestible story.

What I love about our audiences is that they quickly get what we're doing. Woodstock Shakespeare Players offers a very relatable way to enjoy the works of William Shakespeare, in a beautiful summer setting, for FREE, and all through a highly entertaining story presented by an incredibly gifted ensemble. If you don't think you like Shakespeare, you ain't seen A BIT O' THE BARD.".

Co-Founder Jason Ryan Lovett is excited for this year's sequel. "I always enjoy a great sequel that expands the universe of the first and that's exactly what "Something Wicked" does by bringing into the fold many of Shakespeare's all-time greatest villains and making them the prime players in a continuation of form on a taster platter of famous scenes, soliloquies, and more modern twists with a dash of sketch on his characters. It shows just how integrated The Bard is in our modern day culture & entertainment."

"It is such a pleasure to bring free theatre to our community," said Co-Founder Marisa Snook. "Last year we saw people of all ages enjoying live Shakespeare, many for the first time. And this year, with the help of the Woodstock Opera House, we've really stepped up our game. There will be some audience participation, just like last year, and of course a whole lot of silly fun and daring sword play. We even have an adorable marionette dog puppet this year that was hand built by one of our cast members, Krist Neumann."

Returning Directors this year are Jason Ryan Lovett (Co-Founder), Tony Walker and Kathie Comella along with newcomers Jon Lee and Carrie Dabelow, with Fight Director Lexi DeWitt and Artistic Director (Co-Founder) Angie Kells.

Members of the technical team include Chelsea Boesiger as Stage Manager, Zero Snook as Assistant Stage Manager, Rachel Nedza and Joann May on Costume Design, Kestrel Domann on Prop Design, and Paul Gariepy on Sound Design.

The cast includes returning players Stella McCoy (Woodstock), Jake Heelein (Johnsburg), Hunter Johnson (Woodstock), Paul Lockwood (Woodstock), Megan McCarthy-Cook (Crystal Lake), Krist Neumann (Vernon Hills), Stephen Pickering (Cary), Jake Seelye (Harvard) and Marisa Snook (Co-Founder/Woodstock) with newcomers Jaime Churchill (Round Lake Beach), Nathan S. Forrester (Rockford), Mara Hoyt (Chicago), Lauren Krelle (Lake In The Hills), Holly O'Hair (Woodstock) and Sean Unverzagt (Cary).

"Bit O' The Bard: Something Wicked" will be presented on July 26, August 2 and August 9 at 6:00pm in the Woodstock Square and a special performance on July 19 in Sharon, WI at 5:00pm and is FREE to the public.

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/share/19FqjLSjuF/