Patriotic, inspiring and down to earth, that's July 4 at Shakespeare & Co.
A beloved community tradition continues this year, with a special twist. Shakespeare & Company’s free, 9th annual reading of the Declaration of Independence commences on the afternoon of July 4 at 3pm. Earlier, at noon that day, a group of Company artists presents Revolutionary Moments, a collection of vignettes illustrating the influence of William Shakespeare on events at crucial points throughout American and world history. Revolutionary Moments was prepared by and is directed by Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer, at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. Tickets for Revolutionary Momentsare $15, or $5 for patrons aged 18 and under. As a special bonus, photographer and photo artist Kevin Sprague will be signing copies of his new book Imagining Shakespeare, documenting the 15 years of photography and art he produced for Shakespeare & Company with his design team at Studio Two. Kevin will be on hand to sign copies of the book from 3pm to 5pm. Books are available for sale at the Shakespeare & Company gift shop. Additionally, festive Independence Day barbeque offerings will be available, with a la carte pricing.
Dramatic reading of the document.
The Declaration of Independence will be held on the Company’s spacious meadow, rain or shine, so attendees should be sure to bring a blanket, lawn chairs, and/or any other outdoor equipment they desire for comfort. This event has grown every year, from its inauguration on the Banksyde Terrace outside Founders’ Theatre in 2001. Last year it drew an estimated 1,000 people, and was featured in an Associated Press story about readings of the Declaration of Independence around the country.
The one-hour Declaration of Independence program incorporates live, acoustic music under the direction of Resident Music Director Bill Barclay, including a festive sing-along led by a group of Company musicians. A traditional July 4th BBQ will be available for a modest fee from 1:30pm to 6:30pm. Guests are encouraged to spend the afternoon on the grounds, taking advantage of Shakespeare & Company’s spacious lawns for recreation and play.
Part performance, part narration, part discussion, Revolutionary Moments features an ensemble of Company actors, portraying historical figures such as Thomas Jefferson, John and Abigail Adams, and John Wilkes Booth. Packer composed vignettes illustrating the influence of Shakespeare on the Booth family, Frantz Fanon, and African leaders Nelson Mandela and Julius Nyerere. Company Founder and Director of Training Dennis Krausnick composed a piece on Fanny Kemble, the actress for whom the street in Lenox (where S&Co. is located) is named. The presentation also incorporates material written by Ralph Cohen of the American Shakespeare Center, and Terry Burgler of the Ohio Shakespeare Festival.
“I think it’s really important that Americans know how much Shakespeare affected the history of the country, and continued to affect not only America’s leaders but history-making people around the world,” Packer says. “Shakespeare was a revolutionary as an artist, so its no surprise that his work has popped up at key times of upheaval and change—from John Wilkes Booth, who saw himself as a modern-day Brutus from Julius Caesar, to the theatre companies behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War who emphasized the coup d’etat and political revolution that frames the action in Hamlet.”
The reading of the Declaration of Independence is part of the outdoor BanksideFestival, which offers family-oriented performances, programming, and humanities lectures all summer. The Bankside Festival is headlined by Moliere’sThe Amorous Quarrel, playing at the outdoor Rose Footprint Theatre on Wednesdays, Fridays at Saturdays at 5:30pm through August 28. (Tickets are $10 for adults, admission for kids is free.) A free, fifteen-minute Preludecommences on the Banksyde Terrace outside Founders’ Theatre at 6:45pm, followed by performances of Richard III (with special Preview pricing) in Founders’ Theatre at 7:30pm and Mengelberg and Mahler in the Bernstein Theatre at 8pm.
For a complete schedule of all Bankside Festival events running in repertory, and information on Shakespeare & Company’s 2010—2011 season, please call the Box Office at 413-637-3353 or visit the S&Co. website atwww.shakespeare.org. Be sure to ask for details about the many discount opportunities available, including the 40% Full-Time Berkshire Resident Discount.
