Monday, June 22, 2009

Reviews And More Reviews...

Still trying to decide if this year's Shakespeare Festival shows are for you? Check out the reviews below:

According to Rob Cline's review in the Cedar Rapids Gazette, "the entire audience was under enchantment throughout the lovely evening" that he attended A Midsummer Night's Dream. Read more of his review by clicking here.

Dennis Fox as Richard III does not disappoint, according to James Trainor's review for CorridorBuzz.com. He says that Fox "plays the role with characteristic charm, wooing the audience with his wicked schemes. He is an expert with text, keeping time with the manic pace of the play like a well-wound clock." Read the rest of his review here.


Rob Cline also reviewed Richard III this past weekend, and went as far as to say that one scene from the production is "among the most memorable ever staged in the Shakespeare Festival’s 10 seasons." Want to know which scene deserves that gracious praise? Click here.

Check back with our blog, as some of our reviewers have gotten rained out. We'll be sure and link to more reviews as they come in. Happy reading!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Mini-Interviews With RTSF Interns...

When you think of the Shakespeare Festival, you probably think of the acting company, and the directors, and maybe the costumers. Maybe you think about the people that work in the box office that sell you a ticket, or the people in charge of the lights and sound during a dramatic scene. What you should be thinking about is the intern company. These young theatre artists are essential to the Festival, expanding our range of talent and energy. We are grateful to every one of them! Below (for your reading pleasure) are mini-interviews with two of this year's acting interns.

Meet Jacob Perkins:

Hometown: Anderson, South Carolina

Roles in RTSF '09: Edward Plantagenet/Murderer 2 - Richard III


How did you get involved with acting?: I did my first production playing John Henry in Carson McCullers' Member of the Wedding and never looked back. I was five years old.


Favorite role/play?: Angels in America by Tony Kushner. Harper Pitt is one of my favorite characters ever written.


Who is your favorite Shakespeare character?: Tie between Juliet, Paulina from The Winter's Tale, and Goneril from King Lear.


Why does performing Shakespeare interest/challenge you?: Shakespeare asks his actors to go to extraordinary and imaginative places. His characters are fully three dimensional and they allow you to pour all of your heart into them.

What should the audience know about Murderer 2?: I'm playing a murderer that kills Clarence. Clarence is played by my real life teacher, Steve Cardamone. Revenge for all of those homework assignments!


Meet Margo Chervony:

Hometown: Skokie, IL

Roles in RTSF '09: Dorset in Richard III

How did you get involved with acting?: I used to act out the movies I watched and scenes from plays that I'd seen even before I was two years old. It's always been a natural part of my life.

What was your 1st acting experience?: I played Linus in a children's theatre production of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown when I was six.

Favorite role/play?: My favorite play experience were playing Eurydice in Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman and playing Lenny in Crimes of the Heart. I love the plays of Tennessee Williams, Tom Stoppard, and Shakespeare.

Who is your favorite Shakespeare character?: The Macbeths, or someone in King Lear. It's hard to pick.

Why does performing Shakespeare interest/challenge you?: At the heart of every character is a Shakespearean character that usually gets stiffed. Acting Shakespeare is getting to tap into the wild emotions that everyone has and actually letting them out. It's great fun, a great work-out, and important for every actor to try.


The 2009 Festival Intern Acting Company

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Midsummer Opens on Friday!

The 10th Annual Shakespeare Festival is here... are you ready?

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" opens on Friday the 12th at 8 pm - and tickets are still available.

Join us for one of Shakespeare's most magical comedies. Take a dreamy romp through an enchanted forest as four mismatched lovers and a hapless acting troupe collide with the king and queen of the fairies. The production is sponsored by Oaknoll.

To order tickets, call the box office at 319-338-7672 or click here!

Hope to see you in Lower City Park!

*Photo credit: Laura Ambrose and Martin Andrews in "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Photo by Bob Goodfellow.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Happy 10th Birthday Shakespeare Festival!

Happy Birthday to us!

This year, the Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival is in it's 10th season, and we're celebrating! You're invited to join us on Saturday, June 6th from noon - 4 pm at the Gilbert Street Theatre.

We'll be serving refreshments, displaying posters and photos from festivals past and showing off previews of costume renderings for the upcoming shows! Plus, you won't want to miss the chance to win prizes, and 10% off all Shakespeare Festival tickets purchased at the party!

Have questions? Call the box office at 319-338-7672.

Hope to see you there!