Aug. 13-16 — WOODSTOCK — This August, Raw Shakespeare Company of Woodstock, in partnership with ArtisTree Theatre Company, offers “Twelfth Night”. In the spirit of their mission to milk Shakespeare’s text for all its meanings, the company has developed a production revelatory in its staging (the mezzanine of the Norman Williams Public Library), costuming (urban contemporary), and casting (across age, gender, and type). The show, which features a live band, is at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13 – 15. The final show, Sunday, Aug. 16, is at 4 p.m. Tickets are $15, available online and at the door. In a special library benefit and to kick off the production, the library will hold a special lecture, “The Meaning and Relevance of Twelfth Night” in advance, at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 12.
“Shakespeare was never intended to be an elitist, high-brow affair,” says director Michael Barnhart. “He wrote for the masses. Therefore, why shouldn’t community players be able to effectively stage Shakespeare? Shouldn’t the words, spoken with skill, have the originally-intended effect on audiences?” How appropriate, then, for Barnhart to have chosen as his stage the mezzanine of the Norman Williams Public Library in Woodstock, where nightly rehearsals under the vaulted, hammer-beam ceiling are open to the public. Library executive director Jennifer Belton says, “We’re pleased and delighted to have the production in the library. Shakespeare has a broad appeal in the community, and we hope a Raw Shakespeare Company production will become one of our signature programs annually.”
For more info or for tickets, visit artistreevt.org or rawshakespearecompany.org.
