LOVE'S HEAVY BURDEN to Play TEATRO Restaurant This Month

Local fans and supporters of the arts and Shakespearean-style comedy are invited to experience an immersive show by Calgary-based actor and playwright Jim Lair Beard who unveils his new play, Love's Heavy Burden. The limited run starts Tuesday, June 20 thru Thursday, June 22 and will be held at TEATRO Restaurant's Opera Room.

In a departure from contemporary theatrical methods, Love's Heavy Burden will be performed under the style of historical staging practices. Naturally lit with live music, the play features performers familiar to the local arts community.

"Teatro is a proud supporter of the local arts scene and we're excited to support a former front-of-house team member in this groundbreaking show," says Taylor Simpson, Operations Manager of The Teatro Group. "Guests often dine with us before or after concerts or plays so an experience set in our Opera Room is a natural fit. Add our brand of hospitality and culinary offerings - it's the perfect way to introduce this masterpiece."

American-born Beard spent several years with The American Shakespeare Centre in Virginia. Over the pandemic, he wrote several Shakespeareadjacent plays, currently being performed in Connecticut and Michigan.

Set a year after the events of Romeo and Juliet, Verona is now a famous destination for tragic love tourism. To visit the devastated Lady Capulet, Countess Rosaline (once the object of Romeo's affection) decides to fake a pregnancy to thwart various new suitors. Her deception backfires, reigniting old feuds, and forcing her into humorous and serious situations regarding her own bodily autonomy.

"Jim's written a fun and thought-provoking sequel that says a lot about our present time" says Haysam Kadri, Artistic Producer of the Shakespeare Company. "The best part is you don't have to be a Shakespeare fan to enjoy this show. It's bound to engage all."

With a simple curtain and few set pieces, minimalism and creativity will take over TEATRO's recently-renovated Opera Room whose elegant cocktail bar promises to be a part of the action. The intimate, 40-seat space has the audience in a semi-circle around the performance, with every seat a perfect view to observe live music, stage combat, and actors playing multiple parts throughout the evening.

The cast stars Ainsley Daumler (Mollycoddle), Wendy Froberg (Bianca), Murray Melnychuk (Lord Capulet), Irene Poole (Countess Rosaline), Shelby Reinitz (Lady Brabantia), Fernando Garcia Reyes (Benvolio), Joel David Taylor (Antonio), Liam Whitley (Leonato), and Alice Wordsworth (Sylvia).

Tickets are $157.50 plus GST and includes pre-show canapes and wine along with post show desserts and refreshments. Doors open at 6:30. Show starts at 7 pm. The play runs 100 minutes.

"My intention with this piece is simple," says Beard. "I want to show the audience how a great comedy can germinate from the soil of a great tragedy like Romeo and Juliet."

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