Westport Country Playhouse Announces NEARLY LEAR, 4/1

Westport Country Playhouse will present "Nearly Lear," a new take on Shakespeare's "King Lear" that is described as "both accessible and fun, while serving the spirit, language and emotion of the play." Performances will be on Sunday, April 1, 1 and 4 p.m., for ages nine through adult.

"Nearly Lear" retells Shakespeare's story of "King Lear" as seen through the eyes of the King's "endearing goofball clown, Norris, who, in good Shakespearean tradition, is actually Noreen disguised as a boy. Mischievous, funny and tender, the production is a vaudevillian take on a classic play that will entrance both lovers of Shakespeare as well as newcomers to the Bard."

"Nearly Lear" is performed by Susanna Hamnett. She won scholarships to study acting in London, under the tutelage of renowned Shakespeare coach Patsy Rodenburg. Moving to Toronto, she trained and collaborated extensively with master clowns John Turner and Michael Kennard of "Mump and Smoot," as she began to deepen her exploration of the application of the clown in theater, as well as directing several clown shows herself.

Through performance and teaching, Hamnett has continuously sought to develop a unique theatrical voice that could bring together various and disparate passions and disciplines: Shakespeare, clowning, storytelling, vaudeville, the serious and the mischievous.

"Nearly Lear" is Hamnett's first full-length solo performance and was co-created with Edith Tankus, who also directed the piece. Following its first public performance in Toronto, "Nearly Lear" has toured to critical and audience acclaim throughout Canada and the UK, as well as a run on Broadway.

A video trailer of "Nearly Lear" is available at: http://www.susannahamnett.com/nearly-lear-video/

In conjunction with the presentation, The Playhouse is hosting a book collection for Read to Grow, Inc. Bins will be located in The Playhouse lobby for audience donations of gently used and new children's books which will be given to families and programs to promote early literacy and reading development for children in Connecticut.

Sponsors are Meredith and David Bukzin. Corporate Sponsor is First Niagara/Pierson & Smith.

Tickets are $18. For more information or tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets are available online 24/7 at www.westportplayhouse.org. Stay connected to The Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), view Playhouse videos on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse) or get an insider's peek on The Playhouse Blog (www.theplayhouseblog.org).

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