'Our Neighborhoods, Our City: Waterbury Interactive' in Library Park

The Shakespeare in Library Park weekend continued on Saturday with a morning encore performance of Shakesperience's Reluctant Dragon followed by a production entitled Our Neighborhoods, Our City: Waterbury Interactive at noon. The latter was performed by a group of five students involved in a collaboration of Shakesperience and the Police Activity League of Waterbury. Rebecca Brown is the Education Director who works with eight instructors and a large group of local children.

Shakesperience Artistic Director Emily Mattina reminded me of a proud mom as she told me that this is a program that is close to her heart. It is sponsored by Connecticut Community Foundation, CT Department of Economic & Community Development and Elisha Leavenworth Foundation.

The five students at this performance taught the small audience the chorus of their theme song before the show and then took to the stage. The thirty minute production was a mixture of skits about the history of Waterbury's neighborhoods, a talkback about keeping the city beautiful and the theme song. Volunteers from the audience came up to read the roles of some historical adults, including Mr. Michael (Blunt, who currently appears in Shakesperience Productions' King Lear as Edgar.)

The contributions of the Scoville family, labor unions and the Radium Girls were mentioned. WATR's Tom Chute lent his rich voice to the taped narration and the scenery of Waterbury landmarks added an authentic touch. And while the volunteers used a script, the older students knew their lines perfectly. Kudos to this group on perhaps their first great performance of many to come.

At tonight's performance of King Lear, Shakesperience Productions, Inc. will honor Senator Joan Hartley with the 2014 Shakesperience Star Award for "leadership, thought, action, onstage and off in support of the education, art and culture that Shakesperience brings to our community."