Epic Presents 2 Shakespeare Plays With HS Students 12/11,18

New York's OBIE Award-winning Epic Theatre Ensemble (Zak Berkman, Founding producer/Artistic Director), and Epic's After School Shakespeare Program (Melissa Friedman, Founding Executive Director of Education), in conjunction with Chelsea High School and Automotive High School, will present productions of two classic Shakespeare plays featuring the students from each school: the Automotive High School production of Romeo and Juliet sponsored by Lancôme for three performances, beginning December 11th; and the Chelsea High School production of The Winter's Tale, made possible by support from the Meringoff Family Foundation, for four performances beginning December 18th. All performances will take place at the East 13th Street Theater (136 East 13th Street).

Epic Theatre Ensemble's esteemed After-School Shakespeare Program at these two New York high schools culminates in professional quality productions that integrate student writing into the original Shakespeare text. "The student writing acts as a bridge to Shakespeare's language and those student voices connect the potent themes of Shakespeare's world to our time," said Melissa Friedman. She added, "Students work with professional directors, actors and designers in order to fulfill a professional quality production - complete with lights, sound, and costumes."

The students who participate in the nationally recognized program are some of the most at-risk students in New York City. Epic's goal is to transform these students by their participation in the program: by mastering the complex language in Shakespeare's work, they develop a lasting confidence in their abilities. And by participating in a theatrical ensemble, they learn how to empathize and cooperate in a community. Students have performed excerpts of past productions at conferences including the Empire State Partnership's Summer Seminar Conference and the New York State Alliance for Arts Education.

Epic Theatre Ensemble and Automotive High School's production of Romeo and Juliet is directed by Godfrey L. Simmons Jr. The cast features Automotive High School Students, Young Adult Borough Center Students and Epic Professional Acting Company members Brandt Adams, Lori Parquet, Elizabeth Rich. The design team includes Amy Bravo (costumes), Jessica Greenberg (lights), and Ron Russell (sound).

Performances are Thursday, December 11th at 7:00 p.m., Friday, December 12th at 1:00 p.m., and Saturday, December 13th at 7:00 p.m. at the East 13th Street Theatre

Epic Theatre Ensemble and Chelsea High School's production of The Winter's Tale is directed by Melissa Friedman. The cast features Chelsea High School Students and Epic Professional Acting Company members Albert Christmas, Cara Greene, Rachael Holmes, James Wallert. The design team includes Margaret E. Weedon (costumes), Jessica Greenberg (lights), and Ron Russell (sound).

Performances are Thursday, December 18th at 7:00 p.m., Friday, December 19th at 10:00 a.m. & 1:30pm, and Saturday, December 20th at 7:00 p.m. at the East 13th Street Theatre

All performances are free. For reservations, please call 212.560.2279. Additional information is available online at www.epictheatreensemble.org

Epic Theater Ensemble is a company of Citizen-Artists using theatre to inspire dialogue about vital social, ethical, and political issues. Epic's mission is to build citizenship in communities throughout the city by producing socially-minded plays Off-Broadway, and connecting these plays to the NYC Public Schools via ground-breaking, fully-integrated artist residencies. Using theatrical participation to foster dialogue on the complex relationships between individuals and their civic context, Epic's artists champion the belief that a theatre which addresses social issues is critical to the health of our democracy.

Winner of OBIE, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics, American Theatre Wing, and OTTO Awards, Epic Theatre Ensemble was founded in 2001 by Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Teri Lamm, Ron Russell and James Wallert. Additional Producing Artists are Will Pomerantz, Godfrey L. Simmons Jr. and Sarah Winkler. Epic's past productions include Nilaja Sun's No Child..., which Epic commissioned, developed and premiered before its commercial transfer and national tour, as well as premieres of Palace of the End by Judith Thompson (Epic Commission, 2008 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Winner), A Hard Heart by Howard Barker (featuring Kathleen Chalfant), Beauty on the Vine by Zak Berkman (featuring Epic Associates David Strathairn and Olivia Wilde), Hannah and Martin by Kate Fodor (featuring David Strathairn), Einstein's Gift by Vern Thiessen (featuring Aasif Mandvi and Shawn Elliott), Habitat by Judith Thompson and revivals of GB Shaw's Widowers' Houses (with Peter Jay Fernandez), Little Eyolf by Henrik Ibsen and Time and the Conways by J.B. Priestley.

Epic's first official day of operations was September 11, 2001. Rather than be deterred by world events, Epic's Founders were galvanized to work even harder to create a company that embraces theatre and theatre-artists as unique instruments for empowering diverse voices, fostering public dialogue, and inspiring social change. The artists who participate in Epic's Off-Broadway Season are also part of the company's nationally acclaimed arts-education residencies that are presented in public schools and community centers in New York, New Jersey, and New England. Epic Theatre Ensemble is a Member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, as well as ART/NY.

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