'A FOOL'S PARADISE' Set for Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Charm City Fringe 2015 Audience Favorite Award-winning A Fool's Paradise: 30 Shakespeare Scenes in 60 Minutes has been accepted to be a part of the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland this August.

A Fool's Paradise, formally titled That Way Madness Lies, will have preview performances in Baltimore at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company from June 2 to 5, and then travel to Edinburgh for performances Aug. 6 through 12.

Four actors perform Shakespeare's greatest hits on command in A Fool's Paradise, adapted and directed by Baltimore native Sarah Curnoles. If the actors do not perform at least 30 scenes in 60 minutes, someone gets a pie in the face. Audience members decide what scenes actors will perform by yelling out requests from a list of 45 popular Shakespeare scenes - from the Romeo and Juliet death scene to the players of A Midsummer Night's Dream and more.

"I'm thrilled this project was such a success in Baltimore and that we're able to bring it to Scotland," Curnoles says. "It was a dream to be able to develop this show and work with talented theater artists to make it a reality. I developed this piece so I could play and explore Shakespeare's plays in a way that I haven't done before, and I am thrilled with how audiences embrace it."

A Fool's Paradise will be performed by Baltimore-area actors Logan Davidson, Lisa Hodsoll, Jenna Rossman, and Sabrina Thornton. Stage manager and associate producer is Arrenvy Bilinski. Artistic associate is Nicholas Morrison.

Baltimore productions will feature a Guest Star in selected scenes each night. Confirmed Guest Stars include Lesley Malin Managing Director of Chesapeake Shakespeare and Chris Cotterman Associate Artistic Director of Baltimore Shakespeare Factory.

A Fool's Paradise will be performed from June 2 to 5 at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company at 7 S. Calvert St. in Baltimore, and from August 6 to 12 at Venue 13 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

For more information about Baltimore performance and Edinburgh Festival performances, visit www.afoolsparadiseshow.com.

Photo credit: Ashleigh Haddad