Shakespeare & Company Opens SHAKESPEARE AND THE LANGUAGE THAT SHAPED A WORLD Today

Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World returns for another fun-filled, whirlwind tour through the life, times and works of William Shakespeare.

A terrific event for the whole family, Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World is a theatrical presentation that mixes historical information with scenes and monologues from many of Shakespeare's greatest plays, including Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, with a little clowning and sword-fighting to add to the excitement. All Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World presentations are followed by an exciting, hands-on workshop, during which audience members will get their own shot at playing with scenes from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Nights Dream. (Children under the age of seven must be accompanied by an adult at the hands-on workshop.)

Public Performances: April 5, 13, 19, 25, 26 and 27 at 2pm in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, located at 70 Kemble Street in Lenox. Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for adults, with a maximum admission fee of $30 per family (up to six people per family discount). Tickets are available the day of the presentation, or in advance from the Box Office at (413) 637-3353 or tickets.shakespeare.org.

Created by Kevin G. Coleman, Director of Education at Shakespeare & Company, Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World is the perfect combination of information about the life and times of Shakespeare, and fast-paced snippets of scenes from a handful of Shakespeare's most memorable plays. Clocking in at 45-minutes, this energetic presentation is a fun and accessible introduction to Shakespeare, but with enough depth to please ALL ages. Directed by Associate Director of Education Jenna Ware, Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World is currently touring elementary, middle and high schools, and will return this April to perform on selected dates in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre.

"SLAW is a lot of fun as an actor," says Enrico Spada "we perform a bunch of different characters during the course of 45 minutes, and then we get to be really silly and play with the audience. The workshops are amazing, because we get to work with kids and adults of all ages. It's wonderful to see grandmas playing next to kindergarteners in a Shakespeare-inspired scene."

Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World features Company Artists Annie Considine, Adam Huff, Caitlin Kraft, Brittany Morgan, Enrico Spada and Josephine Wilson. When they're not performing, many of the actors also serve as Education Artists, bringing Shakespeare into the lives of students around Berkshire Country.

"Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World is a look at Shakespeare's life through scenes he wrote that reflect what we think he was experiencing at the time he was writing them," says Wilson. "The play is funny, informative and heartwarming. It reaches all ages and we have performed it for kindergarteners and adults alike."

The Education Program at Shakespeare & Company is one of the most extensive theatre-in-education programs in the Northeast, and has reached over a million students since 1978 with innovative performances, workshops, and residencies. Guided by Education Director Kevin G. Coleman, Associate Director Jenna Ware and Company artists, teachers and directors, the Education Program continues to develop and fine-tune programs for elementary, middle, and high schools across the country. The Education Program received the prestigious Coming Up Taller Award at the White House, and the Commonwealth Award, the highest award for excellence in the arts, sciences and humanities given by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It was also the subject of an in-depth, two-year study by Harvard University's Project Zero which recommended national replication. The Education Program has been identified by the Arts Education Partnership and the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities as a Champion of Change. Shakespeare & Company's arts-in-education programs have received major support from The National Endowment for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Humanities, The Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation, the Massachusetts Cultural Council and its local cultural councils, Country Curtains and The Red Lion Inn, and many other local corporations, private foundations, and individuals.

Visit: www.Shakespeare.org/education for more information on all of Shakespeare & Company's exciting Education Programs, or contact Alexandra Lincoln in the Education office at (413) 637-1199 ext. 131.

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