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Peter Cambor and More Star in Commonwealth Shakespeare's TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, Beg. Tonight

By: Jul. 06, 2013
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One of Greater Boston's most beloved traditions, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's "Free Shakespeare On The Common" celebrates its 18th season with the comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Inspired by Rat Pack-era Vegas, this production brings together the talents of CSC's Artistic Director Steve Maler, music director Colin Thurmond and choreographer Yo-el Cassel. Playing today, July 6 - 28, 2013, performances are free and open to the public. For reserved chairs, special events, and more information visit online at www.commshakes.org or call (617) 426-0863.

The production will feature 12 actors, a trio of jazz musicians, 24 acting apprentices, and 4 dogs. A jazz trio comprised of NEC students led by pianist Evan Allen (B.M. '13), will be integrated into the narrative of the play, performing classic jazz standards inspired by Rat-Pack era Vegas, including "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Fever," "Change Partners" and "Witchcraft." During the course of the play, the actors will sing and play along with this core trio, telling the classic Shakespeare story with a twist bringing new meaning to line "What happens in Milan, stays in Milan."

The cast features "NCIS Los Angeles'" Peter Cambor* (Proteus), Larry Coen* (Launce), Remo Airaldi* (Speed), Kortney Adams* (Antonia), Mimi Bilinski* (Lucetta); Rick Park* (The Duke of Milan), Ellen Adair* (Silvia); Terrence O'Malley (Eglamour); Alan R. White (Panthino), Jenna Augen (Julia); Andrew Burnap (Valentine); Evan Sanderson (Thurio) and Louie, Maestro, Peter, and Roxie (Crab the dog).

The ensemble is composed of the CSC Acting Apprentice Company, Olivia Rose Barresi, Julia Bartoletti, Scott Coffey, Katherine Cryer-Hassett, Julian Findlay, Vanessa Greenleaf, Annie Hochheiser, Olivia Hoffman, Alex Marz, Sarah Mass, Megan Massie, Michelle Martinelli, Christine Movius, Brian Pollock, Eliott Purcell, Leilani Ricardo, Matthew Ryan, Michael St. Germain, Felix Teich, Grace Trapnell, Sara Vanasse, Jacob Waxman, Corey Welden, and Evyn Whiteley.

The design team includes Beowulf Boritt (Scenic Designer), J Hagenbuckle (Sound Designer), Eric Southern (Lighting Designer), Nancy Leary (Costume Designer), Yo-El Cassell (Choreographer), and Colin Thurmond (Music Director).

William Shakespeare's The Two Gentleman of Verona tells the tale of two friends who leave their hometown of Verona to find their happy fortunes in Milan. Instead, they find temptation, trickery, and trouble as they vie for favor with the high-society Duke... and his debutante daughter. All are drawn into a web of disguise and secrecy where the last thing anyone wants is for the truth to surface - least of all the dog.

The season is dedicated to Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Angela Menino with a special dedication event on July 11. The performance schedule is tonight, July 6 at 8pm; July 7 at 7pm; July 8-12 at 8pm; July 14-15 at 8:30pm; July 17 at 8:30pm; July 18 at 1pm; July 21 at 7pm; July 23-26 at 8pm; July 27 at 2pm & 8pm; and July 28 at 7pm. Press performance is Wednesday July 10 at 8pm. Free and open to the public. For reserved chairs, special events and more information visit online at www.commshakes.org or call 617-617.426.0863.

*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (www.commshakes.org), best known for its annual free performances on Boston Common, is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 dedicated to bringing the works of William Shakespeare in vital and contemporary productions to the people of Boston and to educating Boston's youth not only about Shakespeare but about their own potential for creativity. In addition to the annual Boston Common productions, CSC presents a summer "Tour of the Parks" program that tours Shakespeare-inspired programming designed for families to Boston neighborhood parks. Throughout the year, CSC regularly performs as a part of First Night Boston and also presents a free series called American Voices featuring script-in-hand readings of classic American plays. CSC fulfills its educational mission through its Summer Academy with programs for both high school students and pre-professional actors and throughout the year by partnering with area high schools and Boys and Girls Clubs to provide in- and after-school theatre training to inner-city youth. Recent productions include Coriolanus, All's Well That Ends Well (2012 Elliot Norton Award-winner for Best Production, Large Theater), Othello and The Comedy of Errors.

Peter Cambor (Proteus) Theatre: As You Like It (Shakespeare Center LA), The Cherry Orchard (Mark Taper Forum), Feiffer's People (New York), A Christmas Carol(McCarter Theatre) Amerika (American Repertory Theatre), Desire Under the Elms (A.R.T.), Dido Queen of Carthage (A.R.T.), The Provok'd Wife (A.R.T.), The Miser(A.R.T.), Summer Shorts (Provincetown Repertory Theatre). TV/Film: "NCIS: Los Angeles," "NCIS," "The Wedding Band,"" Notes from the Underbelly," "Numb3rs," "Pushing Daisies," "Trust Me." Education/Training: BA in English from Wesleyan University, MFA from the A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University and The Moscow Art Theatre. Member of AEA. In loving memory of Maryellen Cambor.

Kortney Adams (Antonia) is a native of St. Louis, MO, but has been working as an actor, director, and teaching artist in Boston since 2002. Recent projects include Harriet Jacobs and the World Premiere of From Orchids to Octopi (Underground Railway Theater), Pippi Longstocking and Aladdin (Wheelock Family Theatre), Voyeurs de Venus (Company One), Doubt (Gloucester Stage Co.), The Merchant of Venice (Publick Theatre), After Mrs. Rochester (IRNE award for Best Supporting Actress, Wellesley Summer Theatre) and the role of Barbara Demarco in the long-running hit Shear Madness. Recent films include "The Makeover," "R.I.P.D.," and "The Proposal". www.kortneyadams.com.

Mimi Bilinski (Lucetta): CSC: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Titania). Off-Broadway: Miss Julie (Julie), The Cherry Orchard (Vanya). Other NY theatre includes Snake in Fridge (Violet), The Innocent Mistress (Mrs. Beauclair), Turandot (Turandot) and BAM Salutes Sondheim. Regional theater includes Twelfth Night (Olivia) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Titania). TV/Film: "Chapelle's Show," MTV promos and narration of numerous audiobooks.

Rick Park (Duke of Milan) Rick is happy to be making his CSC debut. Recent Boston credits include Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo (Company One, IRNE nomination, Best Actor), The Third Story (Titanic Theatre), The Friends of Eddie Coyle (Stickball Productions), Hiding Behind Comets and Valhalla (Zeitgeist Stage, IRNE nomination, Best Supporting Actor) and over 900 performances of Shear Madness. His full length play, Gay Guy, Fat Girl, won the Mark Twain Prize for Comic Playwriting from the Kennedy Center and his play, The Superheroine Monologues (co-written with John Kuntz), has enjoyed successful runs in Boston and Orange County, CA.

Terrence O'Malley (Eglamour) Terrence has performed in many theaters, from Lyric Stage to New Rep to SpeakEasy to Worcester Foothills. Most recently he has been performing in the Theater of Electricity at the Museum of Science. Terrence's work as an informal science educator includes the New England Aquarium where he has been renowned for his portrayal of a Rock Hopper penguin. He was the sax player for The Swinedells and a couple of other local bands you never heard.

Alan R. White (Panthino/Outlaw2) Alan is delighted to be a returning to Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. Alan has brought educational theater to students throughout New England for over 10 years as a company member of Theatre Espresso. Recently Alan appeared in Ragtime with Fiddlehead Theatre, Twelfth Night with Arts After Hours, Oliver at Wheelock Family Theater, and You Can't Take It With You at Wellesley Theatre. In addition to theatre, Alan works frequently in industrial video, print modeling and he is a professional storyteller and was the featured teller at the Second Annual Storytelling Festival of Boston.

Larry Coen (Launce) has previously appeared with CSC as Lavatch in All's Well That Ends Well, Biondello in The Taming of the Shrew, Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Touchstone in As You Like It, and Dromio of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors. Larry has received 4 Elliot Norton Awards from the Boston Theater Critics' Association, for acting as well as directing. He is the Artistic Director of City Stage Co. of Boston, which provides free arts education and performances to urban children and families, as well as producing original productions for families on KidStage at Boston Children's Museum.

Evan Sanderson (Thurio) is a writer and actor currently living in Boston. He most recently appeared in New Repertory Theater's production of Amadeus (Van Swieten). Other area credits include Much Ado About Nothing With a Twist and Neither Have I Wings to Fly (Bad Habit Productions); Time of My Life (Zeitgeist Stage Company);East of Berlin (Apollinaire Theater, IRNE Nomination); The Europeans (Whistler in the Dark); and Julius Caesar (Shakespeare Now!) Film credits include "Dark Feed" (Lionsgate). Mr. Sanderson's play Fallujah won the Quest for Peace, the National Student Playwriting, and the David Mark Cohen Award; and was produced at the Kennedy Center and the Cockpit Theater in London. He earned his BFA from Boston University's College of Fine Arts and is originally from Maryland.

Ellen Adair (Sylvia) last appeared in Ryan Landry's M at the Huntington. Other Boston credits include Lyric Stage Company, SpeakEasy Stage, Actors' Shakespeare Project, New Repertory Theatre, Publick Theatre, and Centastage. Off-Broadway: Theater for a New Audience and Barrow St., Pearl Theater, Mint Theater, GayFestNYC and Punchdrunk's Sleep No More. Other regional theater: Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, Pioneer Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Portland Stage, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Kitchen Theatre, and American Shakespeare Center. Film/TV: "As the World Turns," "Brotherhood," and films about Louisa May Alcott, John Audubon, Louis Brandeis, and the "God in America" series for PBS. www.ellenadair.com

Jenna Augen (Julia)- UK theatre credits include: Chicken Soup With Barley at The Royal Court, The Way of the World at The Chichester Festival Theatre, and Rufus Norris' Sleeping Beauty at The Birmingham Rep. Film and Television: "Josephine and the Roach" (short) and "The Night Watch" (BBC). Jenna is a graduate of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Andrew Burnap (Valentine is thrilled to be back on the common for the third year, having played Lord Dumain the Younger in All's Well That Ends Well (Norton Award- Outstanding Production) and the Herald in last summer's Coriolanus. Andrew was the co-recipient of the Region I Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Irene Ryan Acting Award, where he traveled to Washington D.C. along with 15 other recipients from all across the country to compete in the National Competition at the Kennedy Center. He is a recent graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where he has been seen as Bobby in Company, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Don Lockwood in Singin' in the Rain, Valere in Tartuffe, Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev in The Seagull, Jean Paul Marat in Marat/Sade, Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show (Motif Magazine- Best Male Performance in College), and Chip Tolentino in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee among others. This fall, Andrew will begin his candidacy for a Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from the Yale School of Drama. Andrew would like to thank all those at URI for making the past four years an unforgettable experience!

Remo Airaldi (Speed) is thrilled to be back for his fifth production with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, having appeared previously in Coriolanus, All's Well That Ends Well, The Comedy of Errors, and The Taming of the Shrew. He has appeared in over sixty productions at the American Repertory Theater, including Herr Schultz inCabaret, Nagg in Endgame, Shamrayev in The Seagull, The Communist Dracula Pageant, When It's Hot, It's Cole, Cardenio, Casca in Julius Caesar, Donnie Darko, A Marvelous Party, Oliver Twist (also at Theatre for a New Audience and Berkeley Repoertory Theatre), The Onion Cellar, Island of Slaves (IRNE Award Outstanding Actor), Romeo and Juliet, Valet in No Exit, Amerika, Dido, Queen on Carthage, The Provok'd Wife, The Miser, McCann in The Birthday Party, Francis Flute in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Pericles, La Dispute, Telegin in Uncle Vanya, Marat/Sade, Enrico IV, Clown in The Winter's Tale, The Wild Duck, Buried Child, Monsieur Loyal in Tartuffe, Mistress Quickly in Henry IV and V, Pozzo in Waiting for Godot, Shlemiel the First, The King Stag, and Six Characters in Search of an Author. Other credits include The Hound of the Baskervilles at Central Square Theater, Camino Real and Eight by Tenn at Hartford Stage, and productions at La Jolla Playhouse, Geffen Playhouse, Cirque de Soleil, American Conservatory Theater, Walnut Street Theatre, Prince Music Theater, Actors' Theatre of Louisville, Serious Fun Festival, Moscow Art Theatre, and Taipei International Arts Festival. He is a Lecturer in Dramatic Arts at Harvard University and was the Monan Visiting Professor in Theatre Arts at Boston College.

Steven Maler (director) is the Founding Artistic Director of the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. His 2011 production of All's Well That Ends Well won the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Production - Large Theatre. His CSC production of A Midsummer Night's Dream won the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director - Small Resident Theatre Company. His production of Suburbia for the SpeakEasy Stage Company won Best Production - Fringe Theatre Company. Other productions include Coriolanus, The Comedy of Errors, The Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, Henry V, Romeo & Juliet, As You Like It, Julius Caesar, and The Tempest for CSC; Without You, written by and starring Anthony Rapp which has played New York, Boston, Toronto, Edinburg, London and Seoul; and The L.A. Plays by Han Ong for The American Repertory Theatre, where he was the Artistic Associate for New Plays. He directed the American premiere of Peter Eötvös' operatic treatment of Tony Kushner's Angels in America, and the New England premiere of Thomas Ades' Powder Her Face, both for Opera Boston. Maler is a graduate of The American Repertory Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University, where he was the associate director of Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2 and Henry V. He was also associate director for Titus Andronicus and Hamlet in Tokyo. His feature film, "The Autumn Heart," starring Tyne Daly and Ally Sheedy, was in the Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival and won the Audience Choice Award at the Nantucket Film Festival.

Colin Thurmond (Music Director) Sought after as music director, performer, composer and pedagogue, Thurmond has performed for films, classical music with members of the Berlin Philharmonic, electronic music with international DJ's and jazz with electric violinists. Thurmond is music director of toUch performance art, a genre-bending company combining music, dance, theatre, and circus arts in immersive settings. His latest creation, AcousticaElectronica has had sold out runs across the US, hailed by DigBoston as "the COOLEST blend of theatre, all types of music, dance, opera and creation of an atmosphere in a space ever." Thurmond is finishing his doctorate at the New England Conservatory. www.colinthurmond.com www.touchperformanceart.com

Yo-El Cassell (Choreographer) A graduate of the Boston Conservatory and the resident choreographer of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Yo-el is a recipient of the 2008 Tony Award. As a choreographer, he has created work for The Virginia Opera, The Washington Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance, American Repertory Theater, The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, and acclaimed films of directors Rob Marshall, Tim Burton, Jonathan Demme, and Julie Taymore, among others. Mr. Cassell is currently on the faculty of New England Conservatory, Harvard University, CSC Apprentice Academy, Boston Ballet where he is also the program manager of its acclaimed program Citydance and Boys in Motion. For CSC, his movement creations were seen in Comedy of Errors, All's Well that Ends Well, and apt hello among others. He dedicatee his work to his soul mate, Melodie.

Beowulf Boritt (Scenic Designer) designed A Midsummer Night's Dream for CSC in 2007. Broadway: The Scottsboro Boys (Tony Nomination), Chaplin, Grace, Rock Of Ages, Sondheim On Sondheim, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, LoveMusik, The Two And Only. Off- Broadway: More than 50 shows including The Last Five Years, Toxic Avenger, If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet, Miss Julie, at Roundabout, Public, MTC, 2nd Stage, Vineyard, MCC, Primary Stages, New Group, Pearl, American Place, and Keen Company. Other Designs: The Seven Deadly Sins (New York City Ballet) Paradise Found (London), Reel to Real (Beijing) and two editions of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He also received a 2007 OBIE Award.

J Hagenbuckle (Sound Designer) is a freelance sound designer and composer. He was in residence for ten seasons with CSC from 1999 through 2008 and has worked with Steve Maler on many other theater projects. He designed sound for Jackie: An American Life on Broadway, for numerous Off Broadway and NYC theaters, regional theaters including twelve years with TheaterWorks Hartford and seven years with The Berkshire Theater Festival. He has worked with many Boston theater companies as well. J is the first sound designer to receive an NEA/TCG Designer Grant, the first sound designer to receive an Elliott Norton Award and the first person to receive an MFA in Sound Design from Brandeis University.

Eric Southern (Lighting Designer) is a New York based lighting and set designer. Most recently his work on The Secret Agent (Sam Helfrich director) was seen at the Avignon Opera House and as part of the Armel International Opera Festival in Szeged Hungary. Other recent credits include Die Fledermaus with director Dorothy Danner at Virginia Opera, Coriolanus, and Robert Brustein's The Last Will with director Steve Maler, Bruja and The Other Place with director Loretta Greco at the Magic Theater, Cymbeline and Venus in Fur Portland Center Stage, The Last 5 Years with director Leah Gardiner at Crossroads Theater, The History of Kisses with director David Cale at Kansas City Rep, a fully staged version of Handel's Messiah with director Sam Helfrich at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Upcoming projects includeGood Television at the Atlantic Stage 2, and a new evening length dance piece with Susan Marshall Dance Company that will premiere at BAM, UCLA, and The Kennedy Center.

Nancy Leary (Costume Designer) has a theatrical career that spans two decades. She had designed costumes for Pittsburgh Symphony, Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Boston, Chautauqua Opera, Mobile Opera, Juillard Opera, and Boston Musica Viva. Nancy has also designed costumes for the regional premier of Permanent Collectionwhich won an Elliot Norton and Into The Woods which produced an acclaimed IRNE award for Costume Design, both shows produced by New Repertory Theatre. Other design credits include; Shakespeare Theatre New Jersey, Commonwealth Shakespeare Co., Weston Playhouse, Actor's Shakespeare Project, Orlando Shakespeare Festival, North Shore Music Theatre, ART Institute, Chamber Repertory Theatre, Boston Theatre Works, and Merrimack Repertory Theatre. Current projects include A Magic Flute for Boston Lyric Opera and Ariadne auf Neoxis for Virginia Opera. Nancy also teaches in the Production and Design Department at Boston University School of Theatre.

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