Scranton Shakespeare Festival Announces 'Ballsy' and All-American 6th Season

The Scranton Shakespeare Festival announces its sixth season - a daring lineup of single-gender casts for both Shakespeare plays and a baseball musical performed in a ballpark.

Randolph Curtis Rand will direct an all-male cast production of "Two Gentlemen of Verona," featuring Grant Chamberlin, Derek Grabner, Conor McGuigan, Joe McGurl, David Merten, Lorenzo Pugliese, Gerome Samonte, Jon Steiger, Jonathan Strayer, and Bobby Temple.

Maura Malloy is set to direct a seldom attempted all-female cast version of "Measure for Measure," featuring Jazmine Alexandria, Danielle Cohn, Jillian Geurts, Jenna Hokanson, Veronique Jeanmarie, Sarah Keyes, Donovan Lockett, Camille Reinecke, Maddison Ridley, Tamara Sevunts, Olivia Stevenson, and Constance Wookey. Both Shakespeare shows will be performed at Scranton Prep, making a departure from their usual venue at the University of Scranton's Royal Theater.

Artistic Director Michael Bradshaw Flynn is directing "Damn Yankees" at the PNC Field, in neighboring Moosic, PA, a bold step up from previous years' outdoor performances at Nay Aug Park. The show will feature Jazmine Alexandria, Grant Chamberlin, Danielle Cohn, Mollie Downes, Michael Gilbert, Colin Holmes, Jillian Kemmerer, Sarah Keyes, Kiley Lotz, Matt Lynady, Kylo Martin, Joe McGurl, Juliana Pillets, Lorenzo Pugliese, Timothy Quinn, Gerome Samonte, Micah Scroggins, Jacob Shrimpf, Jonathan Strayer, Logan T. Sutton, Jerica Tallo, and Bobby Temple.

The festival will open with two original one-acts: one-woman show "Cheeks," from Philadelphia-based performance artist Lee Minora, and one-man show "Skin of the Teeth," an award-winning play from London-based FAT CONTENT theatre company, featuring Daniel Holme, at The Olde Brick Theatre in Scranton.

This sixth edition revealed itself to be ballsy (pun intended), as well as all-American, in more ways than one; "Damn Yankees" is being performed in the New York Yankees' affiliate stadium, the PNC Field, combining the most decidedly American of all things - baseball and musicals. On the other hand, one might venture to say that in giving two lesser-performed Shakespearian comedies a single-gender flair, the festival is addressing the way in which gender roles are ever-changing in America, and joining a heated debate on the subject.

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Show dates:

Cheeks & Skin of the Teeth: June 23, 24 at 8pm

Address: Olde Brick Theatre, 126 W Market St, Scranton, PA 18508

Two Gentlemen of Verona: June 29, 30 and July 1, 22 at 8pm, July 2 at 3pm

Measure for Measure: July 6, 7, 8, 21 at 8pm, July 9 at 3pm

Address: Scranton Prep, 1000 Wyoming Ave, Scranton, PA 18510

Damn Yankees: July 14,15 at 7:30pm, July 16, 23 at 5pm

Address: PNC Field, 235 Montage Mountain Rd, Moosic, PA 18507

All performances are free. Tickets can be reserved online on www.scrantonshakes.com

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The Scranton Shakespeare Festival is a not for profit, government recognized 501 (c)3 organization. Founded by a board of local community members and theatre professionals who hail from Northeastern Pennsylvania region, the Scranton Shakespeare Festival is about to enter into its sixth season of professional theatre that is free to the public. SSF is made possible by the generosity of local businesses and institutions, the support of grants of both state and national standing, the dedication of our talented company of actors and technicians reigning from Northeast Pennsylvania, New York City, Philadelphia, and beyond, but most importantly through the patronage and donations of our community.

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