The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) Takes Audiences on a Wild Ride at CCC

Gloucester Township, NJ -- Three zany actors, headlined by Barrymore Award-winner and Philadelphia favorite Jeffrey Coon, take off on a 90-minute high-speed adventure through all 37 of Shakespeare's plays in the Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).

With a hip-hop Othello, the histories performed as a football game, and Titus Andronicus as a cooking program, both those who think they don't like Shakespeare and those who do, will be rolling in the aisles.

This production – London's longest running comedy – comes to Camden County College’s Dennis Flyer Theatre for two nights of laughter, April 8 and 9. It is presented by Mainstage Center for the Arts.

Perry-Award winning director, Chris Melohn, directs and performs in this fast-paced romp, joining Coon and Curt Foy.

“I’m delighted to bring Shakespeare to life in this uninhibited, entertaining, irreverent production. The show is so brilliantly structured that is makes Shakespeare aficionados laugh at all the insider humor, but has enough quick changes, improvisation, audience participation, and general antics to make even the most novice of Shakespeare fans guffaw!,” Melohn said.

About the comical trio

Jeffrey Coon has been a member of Philadelphia’s theatre community since 1993. Called by Philadelphia Weekly “one of Philadelphia’s most talented and gifted performers,” Coon has performed in close to 100 professional productions and worked at most of the area’s theatre companies including Walnut Street Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, Act 2 Playhouse, Philadelphia Theatre Company, and Prince Music Theatre. Nationally, he has toured with South Pacific and appeared at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre and Houston’s T.U.T.S. He is a 10-time Barrymore Award nominee, winning for his performance as Dominique in The Baker’s Wife at Arden Theatre Company.

Curt Foy was last seen at Mainstage as Lord Capulet in Romeo & Juliet and was recently nominated for ‘Best Actor in a Musical’ by BroadwayWorld.com for his portrayal of Rum Tum Tugger in CATS. Curt is a HUGE Shakespeare fan and cannot be more excited to be a part of this production. He has been in two other productions of ‘Complete Works’ and has played over twenty different characters in sixteen of Shakespeare’s plays, performing in ten national tours, reaching forty-six states.

“I feel that the biggest reason people are afraid to subject themselves to more of the Bard’s work is simply a fear of the unknown and the inability to ‘get it’ when they hear the language. Well, enter three typical guys with some slapstick humor, hurricane-strength deconstruction, modern applications, and an endless supply of costumes & props and you get not only the best Shakespearience in less than 2 hours, but you get what I feel confident is one of the most hilariously funny evenings you will have ever have at a theatre!” said Foy.

Chris Melohn has directed, choreographed, designed and performed in many cities around the country. With Mainstage Center for the Arts, he has directed Romeo & Juliet, The Miracle Worker, and To Kill A Mockingbird. He recently directed and choreographed Brigadoon! for the Broadway Theatre of Pitman. When not directing or on stage, Melohn is the Managing, Artistic, and Education Director for MainStage Center for the Arts' Performing Arts Academy and Manager of Children & Youth Programs at Fleisher Art Memorial.
“Jeff and I met working together in October during the production of Brigadoon! We met and instantly had a mutual infatuation with the way the other approaches their craft. Curt and I have worked together in many capacities,” said Melohn. “The play is written to be performed by three men who are friends putting on a show. I was excited I had the opportunity to put together a group of guys I enjoy working with so much!”

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) runs April 8 and 9, 7:30 p.m., Dennis Flyer Theatre, Camden County College, Blackwood, NJ. It is sponsored by Comegno Law Firm, P.C.and Econsult Solutions. Ticket prices are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $12 for students. To purchase, visit www.mainstage.org, or call (855) 936-2467, ext 3.

Mainstage Center for the Arts, located in Blackwood, NJ, is committed to making the arts experience enjoyable for all its patrons. In an effort to make the shows, concerts, events, workshops, classes, and offices accessible to as many as possible, Mainstage offers many services for patrons requiring assistance. For anyone in need of assistance, please notify the office at (855) 936-2467 at the time of purchasing tickets, or at least five days prior to the event you are attending.

Mainstage Center for the Arts, the parent program for Summer Stage, is a 501 © (3) non-profit organization committed to providing a creative, vibrant, and nurturing environment for youth and adults. This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.