New York Shakespeare Exchange Launches Interactive SONNET PROJECT Today

New York Shakespeare Exchange (Ross Williams, Artistic Director) has announced the launch of the year-long interactive SONNET PROJECT today, May 20, with an invitation only launch event happening from 7 - 9 PM at The Museum of the Moving Image (36-01 35 Avenue in Astoria). For more information, visit www.ShakespeareExchange.org.

As part of their commitment to make Shakespeare accessible to everyone, everywhere, New York Shakespeare Exchange embarks on a massive undertaking, filming all 154 of Shakespeare's love poems with 154 actors in 154 unique locations around the five boroughs, bringing together the classical poetry of the Bard with the urban poetry of New York City.

Throughout the year, each video will be released on the website www.SonnetProjectNYC.com and via a SONNET PROJECT mobile app. The goal is to reach an audience of 1,000,000 by April 23, 2014, in celebration of Shakespeare's 450th birthday.

This year-long endeavor culminates in the release of a full SONNET PROJECT Anthology, complete with special features exploring the textual nuances of the language, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the creators and actors.

The project will also feature several "virtual" bonuses, including special Sonnet "walking tours" of New York City neighborhoods, an interactive SONNET PROJECT website available to educators and Shakespeare-lovers of all ages, as well as Sonnet Project scavenger hunts making use of QR codes and mobile technology.

Plus, the SONNET PROJECT will also include several IRL (In Real Life) events throughout the year.

NYSX's SONNET PROJECT was financed by one of Kickstarter's most successful theatrical fundraising endeavor to date raising $49,255.

Actors participating in the SONNET PROJECT include Lynn Cohen, Michael Urie, Vince Gatton, Joanna Gleason, Austin Pendelton, Chris Sarandon, Dana Snyder, Michael Urie and 146 others!

New York Shakespeare Exchange offers innovative theatrical programming that explores what happens when contemporary culture is infused with Shakespearean poetry and themes in unexpected ways. Providing fresh points of entry to the work so that modern audiences will be exposed to the intrinsic power of Shakespeare, their goal is to encourage an enthusiastic appreciation of classical theater and to expand the reach of the art form within new and existing audiences.