Free Shakespeare Returns

A FREE SHOW FOR A MIDSUMMER NIGHT IN STAMFORD

While ROMEO & JULIET and HAMLET are among the best known plays of William Shakespeare, year over year, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is the most produced, and local audiences will be able to enjoy a free, outdoor production July 9 through 19 in Stamford.

This 23rd year of Curtain Call's SHAKESPEARE ON THE GREEN program will once again be held on the great lawn at Sterling Farms on Newfield Avenue. "This is the second time we're doing Midsummer and the cast is terrific," said Lou Ursone, Curtain Call's executive director and producer for the show. "It's one of my favorites, so it's no surprise that the show is produced so often around the world," Ursone added.

As this much-loved comedy opens, Theseus, duke of Athens, is about to wed Hippolyta, the Amazon queen he had recently conquered. Two lovers, Hermia and Lysander, seek refuge in the forest near Athens when Hermia’s father demands that she marry Demetrius. Hoping to win Demetrius’s favor, Helena tells him their whereabouts and follows him to the forest, where he goes in search of Hermia. The forest is also full of fairies who have come for the duke’s wedding. Oberon, the king of the fairies, quarrels with his queen, Titania, and bids his mischievous servant Puck to drop magic juice into her eyes as she sleeps. Shakespeare's device of a play within the play results in some of the funniest moments of Midsummer. After much general confusion and comic misunderstanding, Oberon’s magic restores Titania and the four lovers to their original states:

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This summer's production is again directed by Kyle Runestad. (Runestad appeared in Curtain Call's 2005 production.) The creative /production team has remained constant for many years with set design by Peter Barbieri, Jr. , lighting and sound design by Jamie Lajoie, costume design by Robin Mazzola and stage management by Martha Dombroski, Jan Ursone and John Zimmerman. The cast of 22 - including many appearing at Curtain Call for the first time - is: Angelica Bisagni, Allon Borenshtein, Karina Brea, Kathryn Burkard, Jim Chiles, Kate Clark, Miranda Falk, Lauren Garafano, Megan Gorman, Kristin Katz, Olivia Lapine, John Lazarra, Brian Lombardi, Ashley Marcinek, Dan Murphy, Rob Nichols, Josh Pickel, Em Pisarra, David Michael Tate, Riley Thomas, Sadie Walker and Allison Ziegler.

Performances will be held nightly at 7:30pm, July 9, 10, 11, 12 and the following week, July 16, 17, 18, 19, on the great lawn alongside The Royal Green Restaurant at Sterling Farms at 1349 Newfield Avenue, Stamford. The park will open to patrons at 6:00 pm each day. Food and beverages will be available in the adjoining tent. More information is available at www.curtaincallinc.com/ or by calling 203-329-8207.

“We are thrilled to offer this free event each year to the community," Ursone said. "Of course, we appreciate contributions from our guests, but all are welcome...whether they can contribute or not. Curtain Call suggests contributions of $20 per person for adults; $10 for senior citizens and children. A limited amount of reserved seating is available for $25 per person.

What is unique about Curtain Call’s Shakespeare on the Green program is that many actors come back year after year, whether or not they’re in that season’s production, just helping out, building the stage, something akin to an old-fashioned repertory company. In early June, it’s like a barn-raising that might have happened at Sterling Farms a hundred years ago!

“What’s also really great is that because it’s an outdoor, casual event (less threatening/stuffy) our free productions represent the first time many guests see a live Shakespeare production. While we appreciate contributions, our productions make it possible for many to see live theatre that they can’t normally afford. We are so thankful to our many sponsors and individual contributors, but without our founding sponsor Garden Homes Foundation, we may have never gotten this program off the ground, said Ursone.

"For many years, people talked about having free Shakespeare in Stamford and now it's a summer tradition for many. In addition to Garden Homes Foundation, we're so thankful for the support from our restaurant sponsor -The Stillery - the Connecticut office of the Arts, CT Humanities, Simply Signs, the Stamford Golf Authority and many individuals," Ursone added. All Curtain Call programming is produced in cooperation with The City of Stamford.

More information is available at www.curtaincallinc.com or by calling 203-329-8207. Curtain Call is the non-profit, community-based theatre company in residence at The Sterling Farms Theatre Complex. Year-round productions and workshops are presented by and for area residents in The Kweskin Theatre and The Dressing Room Theatre.