Brave New World Rep Presents SHAKESPEARE BEYOND STRATFORD

Brave New World Repertory Theatre is inviting its home community, Brooklyn's Ditmas Park, to Shakespeare Beyond Stratford, a chance to participate in DIY LIVE THEATRE on socially distanced stoops, porches and out windows in celebration of Shakespeare's 456th birthday. The event is set for 7:15pm on Thursday, April 23rd immediately after communities have recognized and thanked health care workers.

"Theater is meant to be LIVE," says BNW producing artistic director Claire Beckman, "and this live event is in response to the surge of online performances that bring momentary comfort, but feel oddly inadequate, given the enormity of what is happening in our city. We're taking inspiration from our own neighbors, coming out onto their porches at 7pm to bang on pots and pans and applaud health care workers, or to sing from their rooftops and windows."

Last year's inaugural Shakespeare on Stratford featured 15 actors performing 15 sonnets on 15 flower-draped porches for one hour in a loop followed by madrigals and dancing in the street.

This year BNW Rep is casting the audience in the leading role. Beckman says: "Theater's purpose is to engage, to connect, to assemble -- all the things that put us at risk. So BNW has come up with a safe and satisfying workaround: We're inviting our neighbors to pick a favorite sonnet from the link on our website to Shakespeare's Sonnets and read the 14 lines aloud to neighbors and passersby at 7:15pm on April 23. Joining in will be BNW actors, guest artists, board members, directors, designers and stage managers, performing from our porches, stoops and windows - all at a safe distance of 6' apart."

Brave New World Rep is a Brooklyn company known for performing on a barge, on the boardwalk, in the park and on stoops and streets.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jody Christopherson