Sean Pritchett News

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents an imaginative production of Shakespeare's final play, THE TEMPEST, featuring Thom Rivera as Prospero and directed by Matthew Earnest.  THE TEMPEST will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 30 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, August 6 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, September 4 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public!  THE TEMPEST is the second of two productions being presented at this year's GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. RICHARD III played June 25 - July 24.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents an imaginative production of Shakespeare's final play, THE TEMPEST, featuring Thom Rivera as Prospero and directed by Matthew Earnest.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents an imaginative production of Shakespeare's final play, THE TEMPEST, featuring Thom Rivera as Prospero and directed by Matthew Earnest.

Something interesting happens when you remove race as the primary motivator in Shakespeare's OTHELLO. The play's message about the progression of evil becomes even more universal. What was a story about a man destroying another man because of the color of his skin is now part of a larger more enigmatic narrative exploring hate, jealousy, and obsession from a less obvious perspective. It also reveals how masterfully Shakespeare wrote the nuances of human frailty.

Happy New Year and welcome back Shakespeare lovers! 2016 marks the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death (April 23, 1564 - April 23, 1616) and that means it's another big year ahead honoring one of the greatest writers of all time. Here's a look at what's coming so get out your calendars and make note.

Members of the 'Pro99' movement of Actors' Equity Association have issued an open letter to AEA's newly elected president, Kate Shindle, in response to her victory and to her inaugural address as president of the national union for actors and stage managers. The open letter is signed by over 400 Equity members (listed below), including such notable names as Ed Asner, Francis Fisher, Sally Kirkland and Alfred Molina. The 'Pro99' movement formed in late 2014 in opposition to AEA's rollout of a new plan that will effectively force 'intimate theaters' in Los Angeles to pay Equity actors minimum wage, go 'non-union' or even close - despite an overwhelming vote against the plan by 66% of the Los Angeles membership on an advisory referendum. 'Pro99' members around the nation, who take their name from the current AEA '99 Seat Plan' that allows members to volunteer in smaller venues, oppose AEA's new promulgated plan. They are requesting that Equity leadership put a moratorium on the plan until local members' voices can be heard, and that the union work with its members to develop an alternative plan that will more realistically address the needs of the Los Angeles theater community.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents its imaginative and soul-stirring take on the most famous love story of all time, Shakespeare's ROMEO & JULIET, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director Melissa Chalsma. ROMEO & JULIET at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL opens tonight, July 3, performing through Sunday, July 26 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents its imaginative and soul-stirring take on the most famous love story of all time, Shakespeare's ROMEO & JULIET, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director Melissa Chalsma. ROMEO & JULIET began previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Thursday, June 25, and will open on Friday, July 3, performing through Sunday, July 26 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents its imaginative and soul-stirring take on the most famous love story of all time, Shakespeare's ROMEO & JULIET, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director Melissa Chalsma. ROMEO & JULIET will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Thursday, June 25 at 7pm and will open on Friday, July 3 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, July 26 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park

It begins with a wager and ends with a food fight and in between the laughs fly fast and furious in Independent Shakespeare Co.'s THE TAMING OF THE SHREW. Yes, throughout much of the play those laughs come at the expense of one woman, Katherine (Melissa Chalsma as the shrew of the title), but director David Melville turns the shenanigans into an indisputably jolly event.

This summer, visit a small Italian provincial, 1950's town, as INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. brings a bit of 'La Dolce Vita' as it presents its take one of Shakespeare's most loved comedies, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Managing Director David Melville. THE TAMING OF THE SHREW will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL tonight, July 24 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, August 2 at 7:00pm and perform through Friday, August 29 at Old Zoo in Griffith Park. All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public! THE TAMING OF THE SHREW will play in repertory with TWELFTH NIGHT or What You Will.

This summer, visit a small Italian provincial, 1950's town, as INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. brings a bit of 'La Dolce Vita' as it presents its take one of Shakespeare's most loved comedies, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Managing Director David Melville. THE TAMING OF THE SHREW will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Thursday, July 24 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, August 2 at 7:00pm and perform through Friday, August 29 at Old Zoo in Griffith Park. All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public! THE TAMING OF THE SHREW will play in repertory with TWELFTH NIGHT or What You Will.

Cyrano by Edmond Rostand, newly translated and adapted by Andre Martin, opens today, October 24 with the Independent Shakespeare Co.

Cyrano by Edmond Rostand, newly translated and adapted by Andre Martin, opens Thursday, October 24 with the Independent Shakespeare Co.

In anticipation of opening Macbeth as the centerpiece of its summer season, Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival is exploring Shakespeare's complex tale of inappropriate desire and dire consequences in the Independent Studio.

In anticipation of opening Macbeth as the centerpiece of its summer season, Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival is exploring Shakespeare's complex tale of inappropriate desire and dire consequences in the Independent Studio.

What revels are in hand in Griffith Park this summer? An abundance of mirth, merriment, mischief, and magic, all part of Independent Shakespeare Co.'s 2012 summer of Free Shakespeare.

Independent Shakespeare Co.'s annual benefit in Griffith Park, co-sponsored by Councilman Tom LaBonge and Los Angeles Council District Four, presents As You Like It by William Shakespeare today, May 12. Pre-show entertainment begins at 2:00 pm. Performance begins at 4:00 pm.

Melissa Chalsma is one busy woman. Wife, mom, actor, director and full-time artistic director of Independent Shakespeare Co., she knows firsthand what it's like to try and balance more than you think you can. There's always time for a little girl talk though so between juggling kids and rehearsals we grabbed a few minutes to talk about ISC's upcoming performance of As You Like It, how storytelling shapes our world, and those L.A. streets paved with gold. Read on!

The ISC Studio hosts its final workshop performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream tonight, May 5 at 5:00 pm at the Atwater Crossing Arts and Innovation Complex 3191 Casitas Ave, #168, Los Angeles, 90039.