Theatre Calgary Brings SHAKESPEARE BY THE BOW Back With a Digital Twist

Home is where the Bard is, and Theatre Calgary, in association with The Shakespeare Company and Hit + Myth, is getting ready to bring a summer tradition to your screens, as we present Shakespeare by the Bow...online.

It is love at first sight for Romeo and Juliet, two teens from rival families. As their courtship blossoms, one of the greatest love stories of all times unfolds. Watch Shakespeare's classic story of star-crossed lovers from the comfort of your home, as Alberta's emerging artists take on this universally accessible love story, and stay true to the heart of the play, while acknowledging the times we find ourselves in.

With the appropriate restrictions on public gatherings in Calgary set through the summer, we are unable to present Shakespeare by the Bow in our traditional location on Prince's Island Park. However, to keep a 32-year Calgary summer tradition alive, Theatre Calgary has re-imagined the experience as an approximately 50-minute long show that has been adapted by Haysam Kadri and Jenna Turk, and will once again feature a diverse cast of young emerging artists, and be directed by Kadri.

"It was imperative for Theatre Calgary to not lose our outdoor summer tradition production of Shakespeare by the Bow, and the work and experience we provide for Alberta's emerging artists," says Theatre Calgary Artistic Director Stafford Arima. "I knew that I had to figure out a way to ensure that 'ShakesBow' could still have its voice and presence be seen, while being incredibly creative and innovative in moving online."

The artists will rehearse and perform from their individual locations to adhere to social distancing, and each performance will be a live streaming performance. There will be a number of surprises too, including guest cameos along with specially created animation for this production from Kurt Firla (kurtfirla.com).

Once again, this program focuses its importance on the professional development and opportunity provided to a group of young Alberta emerging artists. We are pleased to share that Romeo and Juliet will be portrayed by real-life couple Zach Running Coyote and Anna Dalgleish. Rounding out the acting ensemble are Melanie Bahniuk, Billy Brown, Siddharth Kumar, Kaeley Jade Wiebe, Chelsea Woodard, and Kiana Wu.

"With the recent Covid 19 crisis that brought our city and the theatre world to a standstill, I'm thrilled that Theatre Calgary has found a safe and innovative way to showcase the talent of the future of Canadian theatre artists," says director Kadri. "I encourage Calgarians to witness Romeo and Juliet as much for the experience of the play as for joining this experiment in social connecting, in the face of social distancing. The show must go on..line!"

Romeo & Juliet will be live-streamed twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays) at 7:00pm MT. The show is set to run June 27 through July 18, 2020, and more details on how to view are available at theatrecalgary.com. In keeping with tradition, there is no fixed cost to watch this performance, however opportunities to donate back to the program will be available via a simple text-to-donate, and more details on this is also be available at theatrecalgary.com.

Along with direcor Kadri and animator Firla, the creative team for Romeo & Juliet also includes Jane MacFarlane (voice coach) and Graham Kingsley (Technical Director).

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