2024 Shakespeare Festival: Acting Shakespeare Inside America's Wilderness
An innovative, compelling 90-minute performance that artfully blends stand-up comedy, music, and drama into an extravagant night of theater!
Date and time
Location
Rivertowns Playhouse
25 North Broadway Irvington, NY 10533About this event
- 1 hour 30 minutes
Acting Shakespeare Inside America’s Wilderness is an innovative and compelling 90-minute performance that artfully blends stand-up comedy, music, and drama into an extravagant night of theater. This half-length, full-person play creatively adapts Ian McKellen's "Acting Shakespeare," drawing inspiration from James Shapiro's "Shakespeare in a Divided America," and is intricately woven with the parody style reminiscent of Bo Burnham's "Inside" and "Make Happy."
Set against the tumultuous backdrop of early American history, the play delves into the profound impact of William Shakespeare's works, as interpreted by two iconic figures: Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth. Their divergent understandings of Shakespeare's texts lead them on a collision course to one of the most pivotal moments in history – Lincoln's assassination.
Lincoln, a figure of unity and hope, sought guidance in the wisdom of Shakespeare during his presidency, while Booth, an actor consumed by Confederate ideologies, drew dark inspiration from the same plays. This contrast sets the stage for a gripping exploration of how literature can influence the course of events and the minds of those who shape history.
The play's unique narrative is further enriched by an eclectic mix of songs from Stephen Sondheim and Molly Lewis, adding a musical depth that echoes the emotional and thematic complexity of the story. Through a dynamic blend of drama, humor, and music, "Acting Inside Shakespeare's American Wilderness" not only recounts historical events but also offers a reflective commentary on the power of interpretation and the indelible impact of art on society and individual destiny.
Acting Shakespeare Inside America’s Wilderness is an innovative and compelling 90-minute performance that artfully blends stand-up comedy, music, and drama into an extravagant night of theater. In this “half-length, full-person” format, the audience is invited to journey through the early American wilderness of ideas, thought, and sentiment, witnessing how Shakespeare's themes of power, love, betrayal, comedy, and tragedy were instrumental in shaping both our nation's fascinating identity and its most defining moments. Family-friendly for all ages!
Duration: 90 Minutes
Genre: Stand-up, Concert, Dramedy (Family-friendly for all ages!)
Tickets: FREE, No Registration required, with an option to Donate here
Where: Backlawn Theater at Rivertowns Playhouse - 25 N Broadway, Irvington, NY, 10533, USA
When: July 2024
**Previews:
- July 7: Preview #1, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- July 12: Preview #2, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- Performances:
- July 13: Performance #1 (Opening 🌟), 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- July 14: Performance #2, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- July 19: Performance #3, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- July 20: Performance #4, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- July 21: Performance #5, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- July 26: Performance #6, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- July 27: Performance #7, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- July 28: Performance #8 (Closing 🌟), 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Frequently asked questions
A theater preview is a special performance of a play or musical that takes place before the official opening night. A preview serves as the final rehearsal, to allow the cast and crew to perform the show in front of a live audience, helping them fine-tune their performances and make any adjustments.
In a healthy democracy, we believe professional, excellent performing arts are crucial to helping us as a community process, reflect, and grow together through the experience of collective storytelling. We believe all professional art should be completely free and accessible to all Americans!