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larryland · 5 years ago

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by Barbara Waldinger

Kevin G. Coleman, the Director of Education and founding member of Shakespeare & Company, and runner-up for the Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education (2016), believes that “The Merry Wives of Windsor is Shakespeare having fun. Period. No grand themes. No deep waters.” And that’s what he provides in his direction of this farce, now playing at Shakespeare & Company’s outdoor Roman Garden Theatre.

This company has always set a premium on education, with its extensive outreach programs to teachers and students throughout the Northeast, including the annual Fall Festival of Shakespeare, which brings together ten high schools in nine-week workshops that culminate in a weekend of full productions (abbreviated) of several Shakespeare plays. Over the summer the Riotous Youth programs of two-week sessions for students ages 7-15 offer an opportunity to perform on Friday afternoons, and school residencies of one day to ten weeks introduce students from elementary through high school to Shakespeare’s text, culminating in a community performance. Their one month January intensive for actors is often the training ground for future company members.

In this way, Shakespeare & Company builds its own unique version of a repertory theatre, training future generations of actors who often return each season to perform in their productions. In the present gender-crossing, age-crossing, exuberant production of The Merry Wives of Windsor, Coleman, a master teacher, has incorporated young people in combination with more experienced actors. The two youngest cast members are Tobias Goodman, 15 years old, and Mary Shalaby, a high school senior, who trained with the company in their schools, and are each admirably interpreting several distinct roles.

The convoluted plot, especially difficult to understand in the long first act, concerns itself with the comical, overweight Sir John Falstaff (Nigel Gore), a favorite character from the Henry IV plays. It is said that Shakespeare wrote this in a hurry by royal command perhaps because Queen Elizabeth, according to an old tradition, expressed a wish to see Falstaff in love. Here we find him wooing Mistress Ford (Jennie M. Jadow) and Mistress Page (MaConnia Chesser), the wives of the title. Falstaff, driven by lust and greed (acquiring their husbands’ money), infuriates the jealous Master Ford (Martin Jason Asprey), and provides the wives, disgusted by his identical love letters to each of them, the opportunity for revenge. Another plot involves the Welsh parson, Sir Hugh Evans (Bella Merlin), who is visited by Justice Shallow (Madeleine Rose Maggio) and his cousin Slender (Gregory Boover), both conned by Falstaff and consequently also seeking revenge. Evans talks Slender into wooing the daughter of Mistress Page, Anne (Jordan Cobb), whose mother wants her to marry the French physician, Dr. Caius (an amusing Glenn Barrett), though she is in love with a gentleman named Fenton, played by the ubiquitous and endlessly inventive Boover. Adding to the confusion is the doubling of cast members, despite the wonderful costumes (by Kiki Smith) that strive to distinguish the characters.

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Coleman, a brilliant actor whose clowning onstage has entertained generations of patrons, encourages every cast member to play his/her character to the hilt—no choice is too outlandish or too anachronistic for these performers or designers, including rock music between scenes and hilarious sound effects (by Amy Altadonna). The second act is a marvel of comic antics as easy to understand as the first act is dense. Two towering performances are Nigel Gore’s Falstaff and Martin Jason Asprey’s Ford. Their many years of experience is obvious: between them they have been with Shakespeare & Company for thirty-eight seasons (12 for Gore and 26 for Asprey, son of Tina Packer, founding Artistic Director). Their scenes together are priceless, as Ford pretends to be Master Brook (unknown to Falstaff), who claims that his love for Mistress Ford will be requited only if the gullible Falstaff, well paid for his trouble, can demonstrate, by sleeping with her, that she is willing to be unfaithful to her husband. Repeatedly Ford shows up just as Falstaff is about to make his move, depriving him of his desired evidence while causing injury and humiliation for Falstaff as he attempts to escape detection. Ford’s subsequent soliloquies about the misery of being married are comic gems. In the end, predictably, everyone is revenged on poor Falstaff while true love wins out, amid joyful song and dance.

The Rose Garden is a perfect setting to enjoy this production on a beautiful summer afternoon, with minimal props, a few small trees, a bench, two archways and a couple of fences (by set designer Jim Youngerman). Read the play or check out a plot summary in advance in order to fully appreciate the work of this lively company of players.

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR runs from August 8—September 1. Tickets may be purchased online at shakespeare.org or call 413-637-3353.

Shakespeare & Company presents THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR by William Shakespeare. Directed by Kevin G. Coleman. Cast: Martin Jason Asprey (Frank Ford), Steven Barkhimer (George Page), Glenn Barrett (Dr. Caius), Gregory Boover (Master Fenton/Abraham Slender), MaConnia Chesser (Meg Page), Jordan Cobb (Anne Page/Hostess), Tobias Goodman (Pistol/Simple/John), Nigel Gore (Sir John Falstaff), Cloteal L. Horne (Mistress Quickly), Jennie M. Jadow (Alice Ford), Madeleine Rose Maggio (Robert Shallow/Bardolph), Bella Merlin (Sir Hugh Evans), Mary Shalaby (Nym/Rugby/Robin/Robert). Set Designer: Jim Youngerman; Costume Designer: Kiki Smith; Sound Designer: Amy Altadonna; Vocal Coach: Gwendolyn Schwinke; Faerie Whisperer/Composer: Kristin Wold; Fight Director: Kevin G. Coleman; Stage Manager: Diane Healy.

Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes with a 15 minute intermission; Shakespeare & Company, Rose Garden Theatre, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA., from August 8; closing September 1. https://www.shakespeare.org/

REVIEW: “The Merry Wives of Windsor” at Shakespeare & Company by Barbara Waldinger Kevin G. Coleman, the Director of Education and founding member of Shakespeare & Company,

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larryland · 5 years ago

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Performances Run August 8 – September 1, 2019

“O powerful Love, that in some respects makes a beast a man, in some other a man a beast.” – Act V, Scene V

(Lenox, MA) – Shakespeare & Company presents William Shakespeare’s madcap comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor directed by founding company member and Director of Education, Kevin G. Coleman, who was Runner-Up for the Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education in 2016. The Merry Wives of Windsor runs from August 8 to September 1 outdoors in the Roman Garden Theatre.

“The Merry Wives of Windsor is Shakespeare having fun. Period,” said Director Kevin G. Coleman. “No grand themes. No deep waters. No pushing the Renaissance envelope. When Shakespeare is having fun, it runs the gamut from groaningly predictable to surprisingly sophisticated with every stop in between. Shakespeare was masterful at pleasing his audience. Come enjoy the wisdom and wit of these women of Windsor. It’s all in fun.”

The play begins when Sir John Falstaff vastly underestimates the Merry Wives in the town of Windsor, as he hatches a frothy scheme to drain their bank accounts and drive their husbands insane with jealousy. Antics ensue as Falstaff continues to overestimate his own ability to dupe good people and pull off his scheme of deceit. With The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare once again proves that the best human foibles are the ones we can laugh at.

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The production is generously sponsored by The Dr. Gerald and Roberta Friedman Foundation, and will feature Martin Jason Asprey (Mr. Frank Ford), Steven Barkhimer (George Page), Gregory Boover (Master Fenton), MaConnia Chesser (Meg Page), Jordan Cobb (Anne Page), Tobias Goodman (Pistol/Simple), Nigel Gore (Sir John Falstaff), Cloteal L. Horne (Mistress Quickly), Jennie M. Jadow (Alice Ford), Madeleine Rose Maggio (Robert Shallow), Bella Merlin (Sir Hugh Evans), and Mary Shalaby (Nym/Rugby).

The creative team includes Kevin G. Coleman (Director), Raz Golden (Assistant Director), Diane Healy (Stage Manager), Kathleen Soltan (Assistant Stage Manager), Jim Youngerman (Set Designer), Kiki Smith (Costume Designer), Gwendolyn Schwinke (Voice Coach), Kristin Wold (Movement Director), and Shane Burgett (Associate Technical Director).

Tickets for The Merry Wives of Windsor are available online at shakespeare.org, or by calling Shakespeare & Company’s box office at (413) 637-3353. The show runs from August 8 to September 1. The Roman Garden Theatre is outdoors and wheelchair accessible. Shakespeare & Company is located at 70 Kemble St. in Lenox, Massachusetts. Join us for a free pre-show talk on August 13 at 3:45 pm for insight into the plot and characters of the play to enhance your experience. Additionally, join Director Kevin G. Coleman and cast members for a Director’s Panel on Saturday, August 3 at 11:00 am. Tickets for the Director’s Panel are $10 for adults and free for students, and can be purchased at shakespeare.org.

The Company’s 2019 Summer Season also includes Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and The Taming of The Shrew, and a special workshop production of Coriolanus; plus Tony nominee The Children by Lucy Kirkwood, The Pulitzer Prize-winning Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks, and Tony Award nominee, Time Stands Still by Donald Margulies.

AT A GLANCE: PRODUCTION: The Merry Wives of Windsor PLAYWRIGHT: William Shakespeare DIRECTOR: Kevin G. Coleman ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Raz Golden STAGE MANAGER: Diane Healy ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER: Kathleen Soltan SET DESIGNER: Jim Youngerman COSTUME DESIGNER: Kiki Smith VOICE COACH: Gwendolyn Schwinke MOVEMENT DIRECTOR: Kristin Wold ASSOCIATE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Shane Burgett

CAST MEMBERS: MR. FRANK FORD: Martin Jason Asprey GEORGE PAGE: Steven Barkhimer MASTER FENTON: Gregory Boover MEG PAGE: MaConnia Chesser ANNE PAGE: Jordan Cobb PISTOL/SIMPLE: Tobias Goodman SIR JOHN FALSTAFF: Nigel Gore MISTRESS QUICKLY: Cloteal L. Horne ALICE FORD: Jennie M. Jadow ROBERT SHALLOW: Madeleine Rose Maggio SIR HUGH EVANS: Bella Merlin NYM/RUGBY: Mary Shalaby

SCHEDULE: AUGUST Thursday, August 8 – 5:00 pm (Preview) Friday, August 9 – 5:00 pm (Preview) Saturday, August 10 – 5:00 pm (Preview) Sunday, August 11 – 5:00 pm (Opening) Tuesday, August 13 – 5:00 pm Wednesday, August 14 – 5:00 pm (Press Night) Thursday, August 15 – 5:00 pm Friday, August 16 – 5:00 pm Saturday, August 17 – 5:00 pm Sunday, August 18 – 5:00 pm Tuesday, August 20 – 5:00 pm Wednesday, August 21 – 5:00 pm Thursday, August 22 – 5:00 pm Friday, August 23 – 5:00 pm Saturday, August 24 – 5:00 pm Sunday, August 25 – 5:00 pm Tuesday, August 27 – 5:00 pm Wednesday, August 28 – 5:00 pm Thursday, August 29 – 5:00 pm Friday, August 30 – 5:00 pm Saturday, August 31 – 5:00 pm

SEPTEMBER Sunday, September 1 – 5:00 pm (Closing)

Rain Policy From time to time weather may affect your enjoyment of the performance in The Roman Garden Theatre. Most often the show will go on and depending on the severity of the rain, will be performed as scheduled. If rain is heavy, performance in The Roman Garden Theatre will be moved to the Company’s tented Rose Theatre.

About William Shakespeare Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. His works, including some collaborations, consist of about 37 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

About Kevin G. Coleman Founding Member (Director of Education, Board of Trustees, Fight Director) Kevin is one of Shakespeare & Company’s artistic and administrative leaders. He works in the Performance and Training departments as an actor, teacher, and director, and oversees the mission of the Education department. Kevin teaches text analysis, stage combat, and clown, and has been a guest teacher or director at MIT, Harvard, L.S.U., Stanford, Shenandoah Shakespeare, Q.U.T.- Brisbane, Lincoln Center, the Folger Library, Shakespeare Festivals in both Stratfords, and the Mercury Theatre in Colchester, UK. Kevin is the Theatre Director at the Austen Riggs Center, where he has directed over 30 productions. In 2016, Kevin was Runner-Up for the Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education.

About Shakespeare & Company Located in the beautiful Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, Shakespeare & Company is one of the leading Shakespeare festivals of the world. Founded in 1978, the organization attracts over 40,000 patrons annually. The Company is also home to an internationally renowned Center for Actor Training and award-winning Education Program. More information is available at www.shakespeare.org.

Shakespeare & Company Presents “The Merry Wives of Windsor” Performances Run August 8 - September 1, 2019 "O powerful Love, that in some respects makes a beast a man, in some other a man a beast."

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larryland · 6 years ago

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Shakespeare & Company Presents a Winter Studio Festival of Plays

(Lenox, MA) – Shakespeare & Company is pleased to announce its annual Winter Studio Festival of Plays on January 19 and 20, 2019. This weekend of staged readings will showcase emerging and established playwrights, and feature Company artists. All performances will take place in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre on the Shakespeare & Company campus in Lenox, Massachusetts.

“Our play reading…

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larryland · 6 years ago

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Shakespeare & Company Receives Mass Cultural Council Grants

(Lenox, MA) – Shakespeare & Company is the recent recipient of two education grants from the Mass Cultural Council. The Company was awarded $33,700 through the MCC’s Cultural Investment Portfolio and $16,000 through MCC’s YouthReach for the Company’s nationally recognized Shakespeare in the Courts program.

“We are so proud to be recognized by the Mass Cultural Council, and so grateful for their…

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#Anita Walker #Berkshire Juvenile Court System #CIP #Cultural Investment Portfolio #Jennie M. Jadow #Kevin G. Coleman #Mass Cultural Council #MCC&039;s Cultural Investment Portfolio #MCC&039;s YouthReach #Shakespeare & Company #Shakespeare in the Courts #YouthReach

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larryland · 7 years ago

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Shakespeare & Company Receives Berkshire United Way Grant for Shakespeare in the Courts

(Lenox, MA) – Shakespeare & Company recently announced it is the recipient of a $15,000 grant from Berkshire United Way to support its Shakespeare in the Courts program. Through this program adjudicated juvenile offenders in Pittsfield work with Shakespeare & Company Education Artists for six weeks exploring Shakespeare’s text while preparing their own fully produced Shakespeare production. “I…

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#Berkshire Juvenile Court #Berkshire Juvenile Court System #Berkshire United Way #Jennie M. Jadow #Juvenile Court #Kristine Hazzard #Shakespeare & Company Education Artist #Shakespeare and Company #Shakespeare Company #Shakespeare in the Courts

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larryland · 6 years ago

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(Lenox, MA) – Shakespeare & Company announces the addition of three new Board members to the Company’s Board of Trustees. The new members joining the Board are Nancy Edman Feldman, Erick Lucera, and Andrew D. Rothstein.

“I’m thrilled with the steady increase in Board membership over the last few years, and the diverse group of talented people we’ve added this year,” said Board Chair Kenneth Werner. “Their prior experience on other non-profit Boards and variety of work experiences should add a lot to our Board of Trustees.”

Andrew D. Rothstein

Erick Lucera

Nancy Edman Feldman

The 2018 Shakespeare & Company Board of Trustees includes: Kenneth E. Werner (Chair), Jeffrey B. Konowitch (Vice Chair), Barry R. Shapiro (Vice Chair), Michael Helfer (Treasurer), Michael A. Miller (Clerk), Jerome Berko, Sandra Bourgeois, George Camarda, Kevin G. Coleman, Gerald Friedman, M.D., Ph.D., Michael Fuchs, Phoebe L. Giddon, Dr. Beverly Hyman, Jennie M. Jadow, Dennis Krausnick, Barri Marks, Maureen O’Hanlon, Helga S. Orthofer, Tina Packer, Claudia Perles, Scott Rubinow, William M. Ryan, David A. Smith, Robert B. Strassler, John Douglas Thompson, and Suzanne Werner.

“Each of these fine people bring a unique expertise to our Board,” said Artistic Director Allyn Burrows. “We are fortunate to have them take a keen interest in what we put forward with our work. It’s a pleasure to welcome them.”

The newly appointed trustees each began their term as board member of Shakespeare & Company this August. More information on each new trustee below.

About the Trustees Nancy Edman Feldman (Owner, Nancy Edman Interiors; ASID, IFDA) has interior design expertise in developing new environments customized for her clients, focusing on their personal lifestyle requirements, while creating beautifully high-styled surroundings; introducing as many sustainable and energy-saving products as possible. She has over 50+ years of membership in ASID, the American Society of Interior Designers as well as membership in IFDA, the International Furnishings and Design Association. Also, Nancy Edman Interiors – New York and Boston. She graduated from Brandeis University ’60 (Bachelor’s Degree, Theatre/Theater & Fine Arts) and from the Parsons School of Design (Field of Study, Interior Design). Affiliations include Ruth L. Strauss, Inc.; HCG Associates, Inc.; Nancy Edman Interiors, NYC; University of Massachusetts Medical School Foundation Board, Past Member; Boston Center for Adult Education, Past Board Member; New Center for Arts and Culture, Past Board Member; Berkshire Museum, Current Board Member; Terezin Music Foundation, Board Member. Current Board Member; University Of Massachusetts Medical School Foundation (UMMS), she chaired the Campaign for Research At UMMS in 1999 to 2001 to build the flagship research building at the medical school, raising more than $50,000,000, for theThe Aaron Lazare Research Building.

Erick Lucera joined Valeritas as Chief Financial Officer in August 2016. Prior to joining Valeritas, Mr. Lucera served as Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary of Viventia Bio. From 2012 to 2015, he was Vice President, Corporate Development at Aratana Therapeutics, a veterinary biopharmaceutical company. While at Aratana, he helped grow the company’s product pipeline through a series of acquisitions and in licensing transactions financed through 5 public and private offerings of nearly $250 million. In 2012, he served as Vice President, Corporate Development at Sunshine Heart, a medical device manufacturer. Before his career as a healthcare company executive, Mr. Lucera spent over 15 years in investment management as a healthcare analyst at Eaton Vance, the portfolio manager of the Triathlon Life Sciences Fund at Intrepid Capital and as head of the healthcare research team at Independence Investments. He holds a CPH from Harvard University, and MS in quantitative finance from Boston College, an MBA from Indiana University Bloomington, and a BS in accounting from the University of Delaware. Mr. Lucera has obtained CFA, CMA, and CPA designations.

Andy Rothstein is a trusts and estates lawyer at Goulston & Storrs PC in Boston, Massachusetts. Andy’s practice focuses on tax-efficient wealth transfer planning. In his work, Andy provides clients with a full understanding of legal and tax rules associated with accumulating, managing, and transferring wealth, helping them to develop legal structures and tax strategies to transfer and preserve wealth. He also serves as a trustee for charitable and non-charitable trusts, owning marketable and non-marketable assets. In addition, Andy counsels trustees about their duties, helping them to comply with legal and tax requirements related to the administration of trusts, and has particular experience with trusts holding direct and indirect interests in real estate. Andy is a co-chair of Goulston & Storrs’s Private Client & Trust Group.

About Shakespeare & Company Located in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, Shakespeare & Company is one of the largest Shakespeare Festivals in the country. Founded in 1978, the organization attracts over 40,000 patrons annually. The Company is also home to Shakespeare & Company’s internationally renowned Center for Actor Training and nationally renowned and award-winning Education Program. More information is available at www.shakespeare.org.

Shakespeare & Company Announces New Board Members (Lenox, MA) – Shakespeare & Company announces the addition of three new Board members to the Company's Board of Trustees.

#Allyn Burrows #Andrew D. Rothstein #Board of Trustees #Erick Lucera #Kenneth Werner #Lenox MA #Nancy Edman Feldman #Shakespeare & Company

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larryland · 8 years ago

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LENOX, MA (February 28, 2017) — WAM Theatre’s Artistic Director Kristen van Ginhoven announced plans for the company’s 2017 season today. The Berkshire-based professional theatre company celebrates its eighth year with two Main Stage productions, a thought-provoking series of play readings, and several exciting new collaborations and initiatives.

“In a time when the courage to stand up for one’s beliefs is paramount, WAM is re-energized to be a place where Arts and Activism Meet,” van Ginhoven explained. “Our 2017 season bravely explores a broad range of perspectives around issues affecting women and girls. Now, more than ever, we must listen carefully, act thoughtfully and speak out bravely. WAM is proud to take action for women and girls through our spirited storytelling and our impactful philanthropy.”

Already this year WAM was honored to be one of the organizers of the official Pittsfield Sister March Event in Solidarity with the Women’s March on Washington, held at the Colonial Theatre on January 21. More than 1,600 people came through the theatre to make art, learn about local activist groups, watch a live-stream of events from DC, and enjoy a reading by regional artists and writers.

WAM THEATRE GIRLS ENSEMBLE

Assistant Lia Russell-Self joins Teaching Artists Barby Cardillo and Amy Brentano at the February 17 performance of “What’s That Sound?”

The entire 2017 Girls Ensemble Cohort takes the stage at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre.

Just last week the Second Cohort of the WAM Girls Ensemble out of school program presented their original devised theatre piece, What’s That Sound? at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre at Shakespeare & Company. Under the leadership of WAM teaching artists Amy Brentano, Barby Cardillo, and their assistant, Lia Russell-Self, the girls have been rehearsing since the beginning of the year to create this piece which tackles questions about identity, race, gender, fear, age, history, and protest.

The Girls Ensemble will attend an International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA) Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, March 16-19. There they will join students from schools around the world to spend three days devising theatre around the theme of race, inclusion, prejudice, and oppression.

After they return, the girls will tour What’s That Sound? to local schools and present another free public performance on April 8 at the Spectrum Playhouse in Lee.

FRESH TAKES PLAY READING SERIES

We kick off our fourth season of Fresh Takes Play Readings on Sunday, March 12 with The Flora and Fauna by Alyson Mead, directed by Fresh Takes Curator and WAM Artistic Associate, Molly Clancy. The play, which chronicles the celebrations and challenges of a female friendship that spans almost 30 years, is the winner of the Arizona-based Bridge Initiative: Women in Theatre New Work Contest.

“I’m excited about our national collaboration with The Bridge Initiative and our local partnership with The Berkshire Festival of Women Writers who will receive a portion of the box office proceeds from this first reading,” Clancy said.

The season continues with Really by Jackie Sibblies Drury, directed by Alice Reagan, on Sunday, May 7; and The Droll by Meg Miroshnik, directed by van Ginhoven and co-produced with local professional actor Jennie Jadow, on June 4. Reagan directed last summer’s acclaimed production of Or, at Shakespeare & Company, where Jadow is a long-time actress and Theatre Educator.

“The Flora and Fauna” playwright Alyson Mead

“Really” playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury

“The Droll” playwright Meg Miroshnik

“The Droll is a play that has captured my attention and imagination for quite some time, and when Kristen expressed her long-standing interest in the piece as well, a collaboration naturally followed,” Jadow explained. “The play’s central theme of awakening a child to the power of theatre, so that a future generation can carry forth an awareness of culture and art, even in the darkest of times, and, potentially, at great personal cost, highlights for me the active role of the artist in our society.”

Sponsored by The No. Six Depot Roastery and Café in West Stockbrige, with additional support from the Dramatists Guild Fund, the Fresh Takes Series occurs on select Sundays at 3:30 pm and features a talk-back with the cast and director following the play reading.

SPECIAL EVENT: FINAL 2017 FRESH TAKES PLAY READING IN WILLIAMSTOWN

In another exciting collaboration for WAM’s 2017 Season, Williamstown Theatre Festival will be hosting a WAM Theatre Fresh Takes play reading this summer – stay tuned for more details.

Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director of Williamstown Theatre Festival said, “We are thrilled to host Kristen van Ginhoven and WAM for a reading at the Festival this summer. We look forward to supporting her wonderful work to benefit women and girls.”

Further information about the date, time and specific location of this reading will be forthcoming.

LIMITED-RUN REMOUNT OF Emilie…

A critical and popular success our 2013 production of Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight by Lauren Gunderson, directed by van Ginhoven, returns with its entire original cast for a two week run at the Tina Packer Playhouse at Shakespeare & Company. The first preview is on March 30 and the Opening Night/Press Night will be on Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 pm. After that the show runs through April 9. This production is sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union. A special weekday matinee for school groups, sponsored by Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing, is planned for April 6 at 3 pm.

“I’m not only honored to have WAM re-mount Emilie…, I’m inspired,” Gunderson wrote. “WAM’s commitment to powerful stories combined with their artistic excellence and their civic impact makes me want to write more plays like Emilie… about complex women changing the world. WAM truly manifests my belief that theatre actively and intentionally changes hearts, minds, and the future of a thoughtful and empathetic nation.”

“Emilie…” playwright Lauren Gunderson.

Emilie du Chatelet is best known for her fifteen-year liaison with Voltaire but she was more than a great man’s mistress. She was one of the leading interpreters of modern physics during the Age of Enlightenment. In this play Emilie must defend her life by tallying her achievements in Love and Philosophy-and searching for a formula that will convince the world of her worth.

This is the first of three WAM events that will take place on the Shakespeare & Company campus in 2017. Artistic Director Allyn Burrows states: “We are delighted to host WAM for three exciting programs this year, and are honored to be able to provide a venue to a company whose mission is vitally important to the community at large.”

WAM’s 2013 production was hailed as “Highly entertaining and highly imaginative” by the Berkshire Eagle. Berkshire Fine Arts deemed it “An absorbing evening of theatre for a sold-out audience.” This remount features the original cast: Suzanne Ankrum, Brendan Cataldo, Joan Coombs, Kim Stauffer and Oliver Wadsworth.

(Full Flickr album of 2013 Emilie…production photos here.)

In keeping with WAM’s double philanthropic mission, a portion of proceeds will be donated to this production’s beneficiary: Flying Cloud Institute. WAM’s donation will support scholarships for public school girls who attend Flying Cloud’s after school Girls Science Clubs, so girls who show promise and interest in science can join the Young Women in Science summer programs where they conduct experiments with women scientists and engineers working in laboratories at Bard College at Simon’s Rock.

WAM and Flying Cloud Institute also have support from Mass Humanities to engage 25 girls who attend Reid Middle School in Pittsfield and are part of Flying Cloud’s after school STEAM Team. These girls will conduct science experiments and participate in theater activities that will heighten their appreciation when they attend a matinee of Emilie….. on April 6th, that features a panel of women scientists after the show.

SUMMER GALA

WAM is doing it again! Save the date of Wednesday, July 12 for our 3rd Annual Stars in the Orchard Summer Gala at Hilltop Orchards – a magical midsummer night’s cocktail party with wonderful music, stellar entertainment, delicious food, and wine made on site by Furnace Brook Winery. The evening’s guests will be the first to learn about the fall production and beneficiary. As part of the entertainment this year, award winning audiobook narrator, bestselling novelist and comedienne Alison Larkin will read a short excerpt from her new audiobook Fairytales of the Fiercer Sex.

These are the fairytales of strong, brave, independent, and, at times, irreverent girls and women who take charge of their lives, go on their own adventures, rescue themselves and sometimes even save the men they love. A perfect fit for a WAM evening!

BERKSHIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

We are excited to announce WAM will be hosting the first pilot Berkshire Leadership Summit – an event for women aspiring to leadership positions in the non-profit theatre in both artistic and operational tracks – on October 28 & 29, 2017 in the Elayne P. Bernstein Center at Shakespeare & Company.

Kristen van Ginhoven attended the Women’s Leadership Conference in San Francisco at the American Conservatory Theater in August 2016. Inspired by that experience, the idea was born to create The Berkshire Leadership Summit to continue the work of shifting consciousness and perception around women and leadership in the non-profit theatre world. This first pilot Berkshire Leadership Summit is informed and supported by the research that American Conservatory Theater commissioned from the Wellesley Centers for Women. The HowlRound blogpost about the study can be found at: http://howlround.com/women-s-leadership-research-results-and-recommendations

This inaugural two-day, in person, pilot Summit will provide deep-dive, nuts and bolts sessions into four areas that female theatre professionals identified as main barriers to leadership positions: Fundraising, Producing, Building Relationships, and Building Awareness/Creating Opportunity.

The Summit has three central aims: providing participants with an experience that grows their network of allies, enriching vocabulary that supports the current industry while advocating for their future as women leaders, and expanding concrete skills to apply on their path to leadership.

The steering committee for the Summit, who all joined forces at the August Women’s Leadership Conference in San Francisco, is Akiba Ababa, audience development manager at ArtsEmerson (Boston), Rachel Fink, Managing Director at Theatre Bay Area (San Francisco), Shafer Mazow, Senior Grants Manager at The Exploratorium (San Francisco) and Kristen van Ginhoven, Artistic Director of WAM Theatre (Berkshires).

Additional details on this first pilot Berkshire Leadership Summit will be announced by WAM Theatre in the coming months and will be available at: http://www.wamtheatre.com/berkshire-leadership-summit-2017/

FALL MAIN STAGE PRODUCTION

We are delighted to announce that this year our fall Main Stage play will be a the Northeast regional premiere of The Last Wife by Canadian playwright Kate Hennig, which WAM first presented as a Fresh Takes Play Reading in 2016. This is the first Fresh Takes play reading to be selected for a Mainstage Production. The show begins previews on October 13, and closes on November 5 at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre at Shakespeare & Company.

A contemporary retelling of the compelling relationship between Henry VIII and his sixth wife, Katherine Parr, The Last Wife is a funny, powerful examination of patriarchy, sexual politics, and women’s rights. The play had its premiere on August 14, 2015 at the Stratford Festival of Stratford, Ontario, where it played to sold-out houses and had several extensions.

Kate Parr is smart, confident, and passionate: a rising star in a world of intense competition. But her obligatory marriage to Henry is rife with the threat of violence and lure of deceit; her secret liaisons with Thom, her husband’s former brother-in-law, could send her to an early grave; and her devotion to the education and equal rights of Henry’s daughters is putting an even bigger strain on her marriage. Does Kate risk her life to gain authority in both her relationship and her political career? Which love will she be led to if she follows her heart? And what kind of future is there for her children if she makes a crucial mistake?

“Last Wife” playwright Kate Hennig.

“I hope the theatre audience in the Berkshires — a region recognized (even by your Canadian cousins) for its abundance of arts and culture, and steeped in its own rich and complex history — will enjoy the story of Katherine Parr from many perspectives,” Hennig said. “They’ll see how perfectly Kate’s actions echo the WAM mandate ‘to benefit girls and women’, and the provocative nature of taking such action in the current political climate.”

In another new collaboration, WAM Theatre will bring a reading of The Last Wife to the Nora Theatre in Boston in October as a special event.

“The Award winning Nora Theatre, helmed by Artistic Director Lee Mikeska Gardner, has a mission that includes sharing works that speak with a feminine voice on human concerns and endeavors,” van Ginhoven explained. “A fitting collaborator for WAM, we look forward to bringing a reading version of our production of The Last Wife to Boston in October.”

In keeping with WAM’s double philanthropic mission, a percentage of the box office proceeds from WAM’s production of The Last Wife will be donated to an organization that creates opportunity for women and girls. The beneficiary of this production will be announced at the July 12th Stars in the Orchard Summer Gala.

WAM THEATRE’S 2017 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

March 12

Fresh Takes Play Reading The Flora and Fauna by Alyson Mead Winner of the Arizona-based Bridge Initiative: Women in Theatre New Work Contest directed by Molly Clancy

Sunday, March 12 at 3:30 pm – talkback following at No. 6 Depot Roastery & Café 6 Depot Street, West Stockbridge, MA Admission $20

A portion of box office proceeds will be donated to the Berkshire Festival of Women Writers

March 30-April 9 Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight by Lauren Gunderson directed by Kristen van Ginhoven

Featuring Suzanne Ankrum, Brendan Cataldo, Joan Coombs, Kim Stauffer, and Oliver Wadsworth

March 30 & 31, April 1, 7 & 8 at 7:30 pm April 1, 2, 8 & 9 at 2 pm April 6 at 3 pm

Presented at the Tina Packer Playhouse at Shakespeare & Company 70 Kemble Street, Lenox MA Tickets from $10-$40 413-637-3353

A portion of box office proceeds will be donated to the Flying Cloud Institute

April 8

WAM Girls’ Ensemble What’s That Sound?

Friday, April 8 at 7:30 pm at the Spectrum Playhouse 20 Franklin Street, Lee MA

Admission free Suitable for ages 10+

May 7 Fresh Takes Play Reading Really by Jackie Sibblies Drury directed by Alice Reagan

Sunday, May 7 at 3:30 pm – talkback following at No. 6 Depot Roastery & Café 6 Depot Street, West Stockbridge, MA Admission $20

June 4

Fresh Takes Play Reading The Droll by Meg Miroshnik Directed by Kristen van Ginhoven Co-produced with Jennie Jadow

Sunday, June 4 at 3:30 pm – talkback following at No. 6 Depot Roastery & Café 6 Depot Street, West Stockbridge, MA Admission $20

July 12

3rd Annual Stars in the Orchard Summer Gala Wednesday, July 12 at 6:30 pm At Hilltop Orchards 508 Canaan Road, Richmond, MA

Date TBA

The Williamstown Theatre Festival hosts a WAM Fresh Takes Play Reading Date & Time TBA Location TBA

October 28-29, 2017

Berkshire Leadership Summit in the Elayne P. Bernstein Performing Arts Center at Shakespeare & Company

Additional details as they become available can be found at: http://www.wamtheatre.com/berkshire-leadership-summit-2017/

October13-November 5

The Last Wife by Kate Hennig Northeast Regional Premiere Director TBA

Dates: October 13 – November 5, 2017 Presented at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, at Shakespeare & Company

A portion of box office proceeds will be donated to a beneficiary to be announced at our July WAM Gala

Date TBA

Reading of The Last Wife

at the Nora Theatre Company in Boston

OUR SEASON SPONSORS

WAM Theatre is funded in part by Mass Humanities, which receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities; and by the Massachusetts Cultural Council Cultural. Our 2017 sponsors include Adams Community Bank, Berkshire Magazine, Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing, Blue Q, Brabson Library & Educational Foundation, Canyon Ranch, Custom Business Solutions, The Dramatists Guild Fund, The Dylandale Foundation, The Feigenbaum Foundation, Futures Education, the Garden Gables Inn, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, In Touch Printing, International Schools Theatre Association, Interprint, Dr. Jay Wise, DDS & Dr. Casey Jones, DMD, Lee Bank, Massachusetts Cultural Council, MAXYMILLIAN Technologies, Methuselah Bar and Lounge, No. Six Depot Roastery and Café, Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, RB Design Co., The Rookwood Inn, Rouge Restaurant & Bistro, The Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation, T Square Design Studio, and a. von schlegell & co.

WAM Theatre is also supported in part by grants from the Alford-Egremont Cultural Council, Dalton Cultural Council, Lenox Cultural Council, New Marlborough Cultural Council, Pittsfield Cultural Council, Cultural Council of Northern Berkshires, Otis Cultural Council, Richmond Cultural Council, Sandisfield Cultural Council, Stockbridge Cultural Council, Washington Cultural Council and West Stockbridge Cultural Council – local agencies that are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

ABOUT WAM THEATRE

Based in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, WAM Theatre is Where Arts and Activism Meet. The company was co-founded in 2010 by Canadian director, actor, educator, and producer Kristen van Ginhoven. WAM’s vision is to create opportunity for women and girls through the mission of theatre as philanthropy.

Inspired by the book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, WAM donates a portion of the proceeds from its theatrical events to organizations that benefit women and girls.

Since 2010, WAM Theatre has donated more than $30,000 to eleven nonprofit organizations and provided paid work to more than 200 theatre artists. In addition to the main stage productions and special events, WAM Theatre’s activities include a comprehensive educational outreach program and the Fresh Takes Play Reading Series. For more information, visit http://www.WAMTheatre.com

WAM Theatre Announces 2017 Season LENOX, MA (February 28, 2017) — WAM Theatre’s Artistic Director Kristen van Ginhoven announced plans for the company’s 2017 season today.

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