Thursday, May 24, 2012

Summer Shakespeare In Central Park Has More Competition This Year - Immersive Celebration Of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing All Around You At Roosevelt Island's Eastwood Amphitheater Weekends June 15 - July 1


Summer Shakespeare in Central Park has more New York City competition this year from a new Roosevelt Island Theater Company - Island Shakespeare. According to Island Shakespeare:
THE SHAKESPEARE ALL AROUND YOU

Island Shakespeare presents an immersive celebration of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado.”

You enter a raucous celebration of Italian Unification (circa 1861), invited to drink and dance with the red-shirted soldiers of Garibaldi’s “Expedition of 1000.” Revelers can follow the story, follow a character, or follow their own desire to explore the piazza.

“Tom and I came across the Eastwood Amphitheater on Roosevelt Island

 Eastwood Amphitheater Image From Island Shakespeare

as we were out walking on a warm March day in 2011. We knew we wanted to break out and create our kind of Shakespeare somewhere and it was an ‘ah ha’ moment. We both kind of looked at each other like, this is IT.” says Kristi Artinian, island resident and artistic director of Island Shakespeare.

Director Thomas Kee, an original American cast member of “Sleep No More” now running in Chelsea, brings those sensibilities to “Much Ado.” “People used to think of Tony and Tina’s Wedding or a Ren. Faire when we said interactive theatre. It’s fun like those kinds of shows, but with the added element of a superbly acted play happening all around you.”

The company is made up of a diverse group of classically trained actors and veteran immersive theatre performers such as: Brian Keith MacDonald** (The Merchant of Venice with Al Pacino) as Leonato, shock comic Ashley Strand** (Shakespeare Theatre Co. D.C. veteran) as Dogberry, and Lindsay Tanner (Co-Artistic Director of the Accidental Shakespeare Company) as Margaret.

June 15-July 1 with 7:30pm shows Fridays & Saturdays and 2pm matinees Saturdays and Sundays at the Eastwood Amphitheater. Just one stop out on the F train from 63 & Lex. at 516 Main Street, Roosevelt Island. Or take the Tram like Spiderman. Directions available http://islandshakespeare.com/location

Only a limited number of people are admitted to each performance. Booking is recommended online https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/9672936 or (866) 811-4111.

**These Actors are appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association

Equity Approved Showcase.
More on Island Shakespeare from previous post and


You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Shakespeare

1 comments :

Janet Falk said...

This productivity will be an  amazing experience. I hope our friends and neighbors will volunteer to pitch in and plan to attend.