Shakespeare in the Square Festival

The Harvard Square Business Association Presents
Shakespeare in the Square

August 1st, 2nd and 3rd 2008

Please join us this summer for a celebration of outdoor Elizabethan theater throughout Harvard Square featuring three highly celebrated, award winning, and nationally acclaimed local theater organizations: American Repertory Theatre, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, and Revels. Each evening performers from the respective theater groups will rotate through their repertoire of Elizabethan performances including a full scale production of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost. Throughout the square, restaurants, retailers and cultural organizers will participate in creating an unforgettable Elizabethan Scene.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS:

American Repertory Theatre Performs Shakespeare Slams!

Directed by A.R.T. founding Company member Thomas Derrah,* Shakespeare Slams is a modern-day, plugged-in Shakespearian mash-up featuring 18 performers from the American Repertory Theatre’s A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theatre Training in a multidisciplinary, electric, energetic approach to the Bard’s verse. Marrying Shakespeare with a wide range of contemporary music, movement, and culture, Shakespeare Slams seeks to bring the lives of Shakespeare’s characters to a diverse 21st century audience.

When: Friday, August 1st at 6:00 pm, Saturday, August 2nd at 4:30 pm, Sunday, August 3rd, at 7:45 pm. WHERE: Winthrop Park (corner of JFK and Mount Auburn Street).
PRICE: Free!

Theatre that cries out to be seen…. dont miss it! — The Boston Globe

Actors’ Shakespeare Project Presents Love’s Labour’s Lost:

Actors’ Shakespeare Project will present an encore presentation of their highly successful interpretation of Love’s Labour’s Lost in conjunction with the Harvard Square Business Associations’ Shakespeare in the Square. This production is directed by Benjamin Evett and features Steven Berkhimer*, Marianna Bassham*, Jason Bowen, Khalil Flemming, Sarah Newhouse*, and Michael Forden Walker*

Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost is a sweet and hilarious dance of courtship. Four young lords swear an oath to give up the company of women for three years and devote themselves to study. Soon after, the Princess of France arrives with her three friends and the four lords are instantly smitten. The women decide to torment the men, and boy, are they easy marks! In ASP’s rendition of this classic comedy, six actors play sixteen roles—dancing back and forth between male and female, pursuer and pursued!

WHEN: Friday August 1st at 7:15pm, Saturday 2nd at 7:30pm and Sunday 3rd at 3:00 pm
WHERE: Winthrop Park (corner of JFK and Mount Auburn Street).
PRICE: Free!

PREVIOUS REVIEWS:

“…big-hearted, brimming with wit, and tinged with the quiet but sure knowledge that laughter doesn’t last forever.” -Louise Kennedy, Boston Globe

“This tiny company has huge heart, endless imagination, and gumption to burn. You can’t help but walk away from their raucously presented, but tightly organized, interpretation of Love’s Labour’s Lost already anticipating the glories their fourth season” –Killian Melloy, Boston Herald (EDGE)

REVELS REPRESENTS at SHAKESPEARE IN THE SQUARE

The area immediately around Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre was filled with musicians, jugglers, dancers and other disreputable street performers. Revels is proud to represent the earthy side of Shakespeare in the Square, and under the leadership of the disgruntled former Shakespeare employee and Morris dancer, Will Kemp, will provide entertainment for the groundlings. Expect lusty music from Tom Zajac and friends, fine singing from Tapestry with Doug Freundlich, instrumental fireworks from Renaissonics, as well as Morris and Sword dancing and expert heckling of the actors.

Shakespeare in the Square Event Schedule

Friday, 8/1/08

5:00pm – 7:30pm: Commonwealth Morris Men/ Orion Sword Dancers perform around Harvard Square.

6:00pm – 6:45pm Shakespeare SLAMS – American Repertory Theatre’s A.R.T. Institute.

7:15pm – 9:45pm Loves Labour’s Lost – Actor’s Shakespeare Project.

Saturday, 8/2/08

2:45pm – 4:15pm Renaissonics Performance.

4:30pm – 5:15pm Shakespeare SLAMS – American Repertory Theatre’s A.R.T. Institute

7:30pm – 10:00pm Loves Labour’s Lost – Actor’s Shakespeare Project

Sunday, 8/3/08

1:30pm – 3:30pm Commonwealth Morris Men around Harvard Square