Stella Heath & Jordan Bellow
(Photo by Justyn Richardson)
On June 24, 2014 AfriClassical posted:
Harlem Summer Shakespeare Celebrates 10th Season Of Free Shakespeare In Riverbank State Park With Romeo And Juliet
FREE
PERFORMANCES OF ROMEO
& JULIET
BEGIN JULY 23 AS HARLEM SUMMER SHAKESPEARE
CELEBRATES 10th SEASON OF FREE SHAKESPEARE
IN RIVERBANK STATE PARK
R&J
CONTINUES THROUGH AUGUST 17 IN THE RIVERSIDE AMPHITHEATRE OVERLOOKING HUDSON
RIVER IN RIVERBANK STATE PARK
(RIVERSIDE
DRIVE & 145th STREET)
(July
14, 2014: New York City, NY) HARLEM
SUMMER SHAKESPEARE begins its 10th season of FREE SHAKESPEARE in Riverbank State
Park with ROMEO AND JULIET on Wednesday, July 23rd and continues
through August 17th, with the official opening
on July 24th at 8 pm.
The company returns to the Riverside Amphitheatre in Riverbank State
Park, Riverside Drive at 145th Street, overlooking the Hudson River. Performances are Wednesdays through
Sundays at 8 PM.
Artistic Director Alexa Kelly said: “Continuing our tradition of making
Shakespeare a part of today’s world, this year’s production of R&J will be
visually contemporary, whilst keeping Shakespeare’s language intact. The goal of Harlem Summer Shakespeare is
to bring Shakespeare to new audiences.
We use familiar, contemporary visuals, motifs and sounds, to bring the
audience closer to the story being told on stage. ROMEO AND JULIET will be presented like
a crime story in the style of TV’s Law
and Order. As an extra source of contemporary excitement for young
people, the clan action will also include some STEPPING (as in Fraternity
competition face-offs). “
Over
the past 10 years, HARLEM SUMMER SHAKESPEARE has presented popular and
critically acclaimed productions of TWELFTH NIGHT, THE TEMPEST, the ever-popular
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (3 times! by special request from the Park), ROMEO AND
JULIET, MACBETH, and AS YOU LIKE IT
set in the NJ Mafia world. The New York Times said of the company’s first production
of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM:
“The
audience – which did not resemble any audience I have seen at the Delacorte or
any other mainstream Shakespeare venue—obviously loved
it!” The 2007 production of
THE TEMPEST, where Izod shirts replaced Elizabethan ruffs,
continued the company’s tradition of making Shakespeare immediate and accessible
to audiences new to Shakespeare as well as to those familiar with the Bard. MACBETH was set in Afghanistan, and
critically proclaimed "an extraordinarily innovative production". The Village Voice said of our
MIDSUMMER... touring Harlem Shakespeare production that "even when the Mr.
Softee truck came by, the children sat transfixed and did not leave--high praise
indeed!"
ROMEO
AND JULIET, directed by Alexa Kelly, features Stella Heath as Juliet, (Orlando Shakespeare Festival,
Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Beijing Shakespeare Festival); Jordan Bellow as
Romeo (South Coast Repertory
Players); Thia Stephan as Lady
Capulet (Brunswick Square Theatre, London, Boomerang Th. NYC, Puck/Harlem
Summer Shakespeare); Marina Barry as Nurse (Asolo Theatre); Michael Gilpin as
Friar (Bottom & Petruchioi/Harlem
Summer Shakespeare); Brian Richardson as Lord Capulet (Metropolitan Playhouse,
Barter Theatre, Bristol Riverside Theatre, Macbeth & Malvolio/Harlem Summer Shakespeare),
Jonathan Hicks as Mercutio (Milwaukee
Rep., Chicago Shakespeare, Colorado Shakespeare); Karim Sekou as Paris, (Classical Theatre of Harlem,
Titania/Harlem Summer Shakespeare); Colleen McGloin as Benvolio, John L. Payne as Prince; James Ross as Balthasar; Ricardy Fabre as Gregory; Gregory Cioffi as Samson; Kim Rachelle Harris as Montague (Shenandoah Music Theatre, York
Theatre, Mill Mountain Playhouse), and Israel Gutierrez as Tybalt (Virginia Shakespeare,Marvell
Rep).
Alexa
Kelly is the creator of Harlem Summer Shakespeare and has directed all ten of
HSS’s critically acclaimed productions.
Ms. Kelly, the co-founder (in 1989), and Artistic Director of Pulse
Ensemble Theatre said "We love that we filled a void for FREE theatre in Harlem
10 years ago, when there was no free theatre in Harlem at all. This is a very special anniversary year
for Shakespeare, and we are proud that it is a very special tenth anniversary
year for us!"
ROMEO
& JULIET has costume design by David Anthony Crowley with lighting design by
Steve O'Shea, scenic design by Bob Miller, fight choreography by Joseph Pisapia,
and sound design by Brian Richardson.
This
production is made possible with the help of Riverbank State Park, New York
State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Councilman Robert
Jackson & NYC Council District 7.
OFF-BROADWAY
THEATRE & FREE EVENTS LISTING INFO
ROMEO
AND JULIET – Harlem Summer Shakespeare’s 10th season in Riverbank
State Park begins FREE performances of Shakespeare’s enduring romance/tragedy
ROMEO AND JULIET on July 23rd at 8 PM and continues through August
17th. Performances
Wednesdays through Sundays at 8 PM.
Outdoors in the Amphitheatre in Riverbank State Park, 145th
Street & Riverside Drive.
Official opening: July 24 at 8 pm
Directions: Take #1 train to 145th street, walk one
block west towards the Hudson River and into Riverbank State Park. Or take #11
bus or #BX19 bus to Riverbank State Park.
Amphitheatre
seating, feel free to bring a pillow.
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