Franklin Stage Company Presents ORSON WELLES/SHYLOCK

Franklin Stage Company is pleased to present the highly acclaimed Orson Welles/Shylock, written and directed by Matt Chiorini, July 27 - 30 and August 3 - 6.

Billed as a docu-fantasy radio play, Orson Welles/SHYLOCK tells the unbelievable and mostly true story of Welles' many attempts to play Shakespeare's Shylock...and the haunting and heartbreaking ways his life overlapped with the iconic character just out of his reach. Syracuse-based theater company The Shylock Project presents their hit of the Toronto and Montreal Fringe Festivals in a brisk, captivating 70 minutes.

Featuring 3 males actors - including Chiorini himself - each playing Welles at a particular stage of his life, and one female actor playing Welles' mother, wives and longtime mistress/collaborator Oja Kodar, the production is an actor's playground of comedy, tragedy, fact and fantasy. The four performers bring to life the characters (real and imaginary) in Welles' world, as the play leaps decades and locations as only radio can. Highly theatrical in its staging and use of sound, movement, and projection, Orson Welles/Shylock is a celebration of Welles himself - in all his reckless, self-centered, brilliant messiness - and the price he paid for his uncompromising artistic vision.

"Matt's work is highly inventive and thoroughly engaging," said FSC Co-Artistic Directors, Leslie Noble and Patricia Buckley. "He's a consummate story-teller and we're thrilled to share his company's work with our audience." Recent reviews from the Canadian Fringe festivals have been glowing. Toronto's Now Magazine gave it a 5 star rating, Westmont Magazine called it "a spell-binding play...the must-see of the Fringe". ArtsVox called it "a polished production...elegant and meaningful... expertly done."

Orson Welles/Shylock was created to perform at a month-long Merchant of Venice conference in Italy to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Venetian Jewish Getto. After an overwhelmingly positive reception, the play went on to perform at several theaters in upstate NY, including LeMoyne College (where Chiorini serves as chair of the Theater Department), as well as Maryland's Columbia Arts Festival and the Montreal and Toronto Fringe Festivals.

Orson Welles/SHYLOCK will play for two weekends. Showtimes are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 5:00pm. There will be a talk-back after each Friday night show. Admission is free. (Donations gratefully accepted.) Seating is limited and reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve and for more information: www.franklinstagecompany.org or 607-829-370.

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