D'Arcangelo, Holmes Set For GETTING EVEN WITH SHAKESPEARE, Opens 8/14

Complete casting has been set for Matt Saldarelli's Getting Even with Shakespeare, which will be part of the 14th annual New York International Fringe Festival, running at The Players Theatre with performances from August 14th-27th. The play enjoyed a sold out run at Manhattan Repertory Theatre's Winterfest 2010, and at FringeNYC Getting Even with Shakespeare will continue its mission to expose the Bard as the bloodthirsty murderer of some of the world's most beloved characters. Starring in the Fringe production will be John D'Arcangelo as King Lear, Ben Holmes as Romeo, Josh Odsess-Rubin as Hamlet, Patrick Pizzolorusso as Macbeth and Amanda Tudesco as Juliet.

Getting Even with Shakespeare follows Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet during the rare times that they are not metaphysically "attending" every performance of the shows that bear their names. When not reliving their horrible deaths on a nightly basis, the characters spend time in a New York City bar where they drink away their sorrows, settle old scores, and partake in their favorite pastime - plotting revenge on Shakespeare, the man who put them in this very unenviable position. The characters' four century old routine is thrown into flux when Matt, a 30 year old lawyer and unsuccessful college playwright, enters the bar with an idea that may finally allow them to get even. A hilarious promotional trailer can be viewed online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRaKdys8jtw

Greg Ayers and Kelsey Formost will also star in the play, which will be directed by Laura Konsin (who also directed the Manhattan Repertory production), and will be produced at FringeNYC by Self Fulfilling Productions, a new company founded by Matt Saldarelli, Jenn Marcotte, Laura Konsin and Patrick Pizzolorusso. The creative team also includes Will Aronson (music), Monica Blaze Leavitt (fight director), Rayneese Primrose (costume design), and Carl Everett Wiemann (lighting design).

Playwright Matt Saldarelli developed the concept for Getting Even with Shakespeare during his freshman year at the College of the Holy Cross in order to avoid writing a final paper for his 20th Century Shakespearean Adaptation class. The idea developed into a small college production that examined what it truly meant to be immortalized in someone else's art. Eleven years and a law degree later, Matt brought the re-envisioned work to Manhattan Repertory Theatre for a sold out run. For more information, please visit www.GettingEvenWithShakespeare.com

Getting Even with Shakespeare will run at The Players Theatre (115 MacDougal Street between 3rd and Bleecker), with performances on Saturday 8/14 at 2:15pm, Friday 8/20 at 12pm, Tuesday 8/24 at 6:45pm, Wednesday 8/25 at 7:30pm, and Friday 8/27 at 7pm. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at www.FringeNYC.org or by phone at 866.468.7619 beginning July 23rd.

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