The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre Announces 2010/11 Season

The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre is pleased to announce the 2010/11 mainstage "in repertory" season of Hamlet and As You Like It, a tragedy and a comedy, written within one year of each other by William Shakespeare, and directed by Artistic Director Carmen Khan. New programming this year includes The Classical Cabaret Series, together with our continuing audience engagement and enrichment series of Connoisseur Shakespeare and Forums led by Scholar-in-Residence, Dr. Annalisa Castaldo, preceded by a season kick-off with a fun Free summer production of the epic heroic history play Henry V directed by Aaron Cromie.

Hamlet, March 18 - May 14, 2011

As You Like It, April 7 - May 15, 2011

Henry V, 2nd Annual production by The Classical Acting Academy - August 4 - 15, 2010 Limited 2 Week Run!

Classical Cabaret (New!), December 2 - 5, 2010

Connoisseur Shakespeare, September 27 and October 25, 2010

Forums, April 17 and 24, 2011

"Our new 2010/11 season at The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre" says Artistic/Executive Director Carmen Khan "offers a wealth of opportunities for audiences to experience and engage with highly creative actors, directors, choreographers, musicians, and puppeteers in productions on stage, and off stage, in a choice of expert paneled seminars and meet the artist forums. This year we offer you two productions, in repertory, of Hamlet and As You Like It, a twinned tragedy and comedy, written within one year of each other, combined with a rousing history play in a free late ("winding down the") summer production of Henry V directed by Aaron Cromie. During the holiday season, we will entrance you with a new and exciting program The Classical Cabaret Series featuring a wonderful cast of eclectic creative artists. We invite you to step across this theatrical threshold - there is much here for you to imagine and savor."

Our season begins August 4, 2010 - May 15, 2011 with three productions, a performance series and two audience enrichment programs. Flex Subscriptions "Bard Cards" ($70-$140) and Single Tickets ($20-$35) are on sale now and can be purchased online at phillyshakepeare.org, and by phone at our Box Office 215-496-8001. We recommend advance reservations for our Free programs and productions since they sell out early.

Details for The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre's Season are as follows:

Hamlet

March 18 - May 14, 2011

Wed - Sat at 7pm, Sun at 2pm (17 performances)

Directed by Carmen Khan

A multi-layered tragedy unfolds before us with unending richness, as the Prince of Denmark swears to avenge his father's murder. Complex, mysterious, philosophical, and universally alluring, Hamlet, compels us to journey with him as he discovers the mysteries of his inner life.

As You Like It

April 7 - May 15, 2011

Wed - Sat at 7pm, Sun at 2pm with a new Sat performance at 1pm on May 7, 2011 (20 performances)

Directed by Carmen Khan

A story of metamorphosis. Experience Rosalind transforming from inexperienced young girl to mature woman in this mad cap comedic romp. Romance and confusion reign in the Forest of Arden with gender-bending disguises and role reversals.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Henry V

Aug 4 - 15, 2010

Wed - Sat at 7pm, Sun at 2pm (10 performances) Limited 2 Week Run

Directed by Aaron Cromie

FREE SUMMER PRODUCTION presented by The Classical Acting Academy

In its second annual production, the Classical Acting Academy, a troupe of emerging theatre actors and artists, gives us this epic heroic history play, Henry V, in a new interpretation set in a classroom with students taking final exams and learning the lessons of history. Follow with us this young rambunctious youth (seen last year as the charming wastrel Prince Hal in Henry IV, Part 1) as he now evolves into manhood and leadership, tested hardily by battle and the machinations and intrigues of both English and French courtiers. This production was filled to capacity during its limited 2 week run.

What is the Classical Acting Academy?

The Classical Acting Academy, an evolution of our Young Professional Company (The Two Gentlemen of Verona in 2006 directed by Domenick Scudera and Twelfth Night in 2005 directed by Jonah Cohen and Emmy Miller), offers audience members the opportunity to witness young evolving theatre artists hone their craft in producing Shakespeare on a professional stage guided by professional directors and theatre specialists. This is our second year of production with the Classical Acting Academy (inaugurated with Henry IV, Part 1 in 2009 directed by David Stradley). Each summer we recruit a cast of promising early-career professionals for a two-month immersion experience in Shakespeare and classical theatre. The troupe works extensively with seasoned directors and theatre professionals culminating in a production on stage at The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre.

The Classical Cabaret Series (New!)

Dec 2 - 5, 2010

Thu - Sun at 7pm, Sat and Sun at 1pm (6 performances)

Enjoy a talented group of invited actors, dancers, directors, playwrights, musicians, puppeteers, circus performers and physical theatre artists performing short new works inspired by the classics, including Shakespeare, from around the globe. Featured guest artists will delight us with creative re-imaginings and cabaret based interpretations on our stage.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

This year we are honored to have Dr. Annalisa Castaldo as our Scholar-in-Residence who will lead discussions with participating artists, in the form of seminars featuring actors and scholars to explore the performance and scholarly elements of the plays, with the opportunity for audience Q&A. During the course of the year our audience enrichment programs will focus alternatively on Hamlet and As You Like It - our mainstage in repertory productions of the 2010/11 season. Dr. Castaldo is Associate Professor of English and Director of Women's Studies, Widener University, having received her PhD from Temple University and MA from Johns Hopkins. She has published numerous books and articles on Shakespeare and recently edited Shakespeares after Shakespeare: An Encyclopedia of the Bard in Mass Media and Popular Culture, a two-volume work edited by Richard Burt that gives us an overview of the Bard through a popular lens.

Connoisseur Shakespeare

Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 6:30pm on Hamlet

Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 6:30pm on As You Like It

$20 Ticket Price

This series is a seminar led panel by Dr. Annalisa Castaldo featuring actors exploring themes through performance and scholarship.

Forums

Sun, Apr 17, 2011 at 4:30pm on Hamlet

Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 4:30pm on As You Like It

Free with Ticket Purchase

This series runs after the matinee performance and is a led discussion, with the director and cast members, followed by an opportunity for Q&A.

What does "in repertory" mean?

The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre performs staged plays "in repertory", meaning we concurrently run at least two productions with the same group of actors in both plays. The benefit of this style of production is to allow actors to play different roles and keep fresh in those roles, reverting and returning to them, in a short period of time within one day or over two days. In this way, the actors keep in the dynamic of performing in several different roles and styles keeping their performances energetic, vivid and fresh. One actor might perform in a leading tragic role on one day and the next perform in a supporting comedic role.

A repertory model, although not called that, was originally used in Shakespeare's day with the founding of The Acting Company The King's Men (newly named as such under James I, formerly The Lord Chamberlain's Men under Queen Elizabeth I), which was a company of actors to which Shakespeare belonged. This acting troupe, eventually recognized with a royal patent in 1603, performed plays in repertory (as many as 10 per week) including works by Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, and John Fletcher, among others.

Artistic Director/Executive Director Carmen Khan

Carmen Khan is a critically acclaimed theatre director and actor who has directed over 30 plays and has performed on stages nationally. She has also taught theatre and dance K-12 and has University level teaching experience both in the United Stated and the United Kingdom. She was the Artistic Director of the Red Heel Theatre for two years before founding and becoming the Artistic/Executive Director of The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre in 1996. Ms. Khan holds a B.Ed in Education from The University of London and a MFA from The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.

About The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre

The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre was founded as The Red Heel Theatre in 1989, initially focusing on classic works of English theatre. In 1993, Carmen Khan became the Artistic Director of Red Heel and in 1996, focused the company's efforts on the works of Shakespeare. Since 2009, The Theatre has added several new programs for adults and students including a two-part lecture series, comprised of a Connoisseur Shakespeare and Forums, featuring world-renowned Shakespeare scholars, a new performance program The Classical Cabaret Series. The extensive four-part, Barrymore Award nominated education outreach program called The Open Door Project, (began in 2000) offers 1) Artists-in-Residence, 2) specially scheduled theatre matinees, 3) school tours in the tri-state region (recently of Macbeth and Hamlet, 2009), and 4) teacher training workshops with the renowned Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC. The Theatre also promotes the work of early career theatre artists as they embark upon their professions through its Classical Acting Academy which provides intense training culminating in a free summer Shakespeare play for the public. Annually, the Theatre reaches over 8,000 audience members including 3,000 audience members at staged productions and 5,000 school children and youth through The Open Door Project.

Now entering our 14th season, The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, a Barrymore Award winning theatre, has produced 35 plays, receiving 14 Barrymore Award nominations to date, and in 2008 was recognized by the

City of Philadelphia with a resolution introduced by Council Members Jannie L. Blackwell and Blondell Reynolds Brown, honoring The Theatre for its commitment to producing excellent Shakespeare productions and education programming and making both accessible to all.

Mission: The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre exists to produce the most excellent Shakespeare productions and education programming, accessible to all.

Tickets and season Bard Cards are currently on sale for all programs and performances. All performances held in the intimate 122-seat theatre at 2111 Sansom Street. For ticket sales and information please call the Box Office at 215-496-8001 or purchase and print your tickets on the web at phillyshakespeare.org.

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