Folk Band Poor Old Shine to Take A.R.T. Stage in THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD, Running 12/11-1/19

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the Artistic Direction of Diane Paulus, has announced that the folk band Poor Old Shine has joined the company of The Heart of Robin Hood to create and perform live original music. The production is written by David Farr and directed by Gisli Örn Gardarsson and begins performances Wednesday, December 11, 2013 at the Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge and runs through Sunday, January 19, 2014. It will be available for press viewing from Wednesday, December 18 at 7:30pm.

Poor Old Shine is a roots band with a grassroots ethos. The Connecticut band prizes the human element that underpins their music, from songwriting to recording to album design. Formed at the University of Connecticut, where singer and banjo player Chris Freeman met banjo and mandolin player Antonio Alcorn in a folk music club on campus, an early version of Poor Old Shine landed its first gig - opening for a friend's band at the legendary New Haven club Toad's Place - before the musicians had even decided what to call themselves. With the addition of Max Shakun on guitar and pump organ, Harrison Goodale on bass, and Erik Hischmann on drums, Poor Old Shine's music is influenced by Pete Seeger, vintage bluegrass and contemporary bands like the Avett Brothers.

Poor Old Shine has played live shows before increasingly appreciative audiences in renowned venues, including the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington D.C., Music City Roots in Nashville where they shared the evening with the Wood Brothers, Infinity Music Hall in Norfolk, CT, Club Passim in Cambridge, the Mercury Lounge in NYC and World Café Live in Philadelphia among others. Poor Old Shine has just released its self-titled debut studio LP on Signature Sounds, which FolkAlley.com calls, "some of the most jubilant and danceable indie roots music this side of the Carolinas."

The complete cast of The Heart of Robin Hood includes Jordan Dean (Mamma Mia on Broadway, As You Like It at NY Shakespeare Festival, and Kenneth Branagh's Macbeth at the Manchester International Festival) as Robin and Christina Bennett Lind (Ride the Tiger, Long Wharf Theatre; Bianca Montgomery in ABC's "All My Children") as Marion. The are joined by Moe Alafrangy as Gisborne's Henchman, Claire Candela (Once at New York Theater Workshop) and Andrew Cekala (Pippin at A.R.T. and on Broadway and Marie Antoinette at A.R.T.) as the children Sarah and Jethro Summers, Jeremy Crawford (Disney's Alladin and Godspell at West Virginia Public Theatre) as Little John, Zachary Eisenstat (Superior Donuts at Lyric Stage, The Donkey Show at A.R.T.) as Will Scarlett, David Michael Garry (Sweeney Todd and Company on Broadway) as Guy of Gisborne/Duke of York, Andy Grotelueschen (Into the Woods at McCarter Theatre, "Elementary") as Much, Laura Sheehy (Cabaret on Broadway and Balm in Gilead at Atlantic Theatre) as Plug, Christopher Sieber (Shrek on Broadway, Spamalot on Broadway and West End, Tony nomination) as Pierre, Louis Tucci (If You Could See: The Alice Austen Story at Sundog Theatre, "War of the Worlds") as Makepeace, Damian Young (All My Sons on Broadway, "The Comeback") as Prince John, and Katrina Yaukey (War Horse and Cabaret on Broadway and tour) as Alice. Set design is by Borkur Jonsson, costume design by Emma Ryott, lighting design by Bjorn Helgason, and sound design by Jonathan Deans. Selma Björnsdóttir is the Associate Director. Chris Kukul is music director.

In this spectacular rendition of the English legend, the notorious Robin Hood and his band of merry men steal from the rich, but refuse to share with the oppressed peasantry. As the wicked Prince John threatens all of England, it is down to Marion to boldly protect the poor and convert Robin Hood from outlaw to hero. First seen at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2011, this new production is filled with high adventure, epic romance, amazing fight choreography, and original music.

For tickets to The Heart of Robin Hood and further information visit us at americanrepertorytheater.org.

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