Cincinnati Shakespeare's THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN Opens Tonight

This May, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to "Complete the Canon" by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. The final play needed to "Complete the Canon" is William Shakespeare's "The Two Noble Kinsmen", which CSC will open tonight, May 2, 2014. This production is generously sponsored by Charles Parsons and Bill McKim and the Canon Club. The design sponsor is PNC Bank.

Captured and imprisoned during war, two friends become impassioned rivals as they fall in love with the beautiful princess Emilia (Sara Clark). Deceit and fighting arise in this romance, as Palamon (Matt Lytle) and Arcite (Zach Shute) both vie for the princess' love. Originally derived from Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", this rarely produced work will give Cincinnati audiences a rare opportunity to experience a hidden Shakespeare gem! This production is so rarely done, in fact, that CSC is pleased to welcome "Shakespeare Tourists" from as far away as Washington, California and Vancouver, Canada! Kjersten Hayes of Bellingham, Washington says "I have a life goal of seeing every Shakespeare play in either play or movie form. "The Two Noble Kinsmen" is the only one I have left to see. Every 6 months or so for the last several years I've googled the title to see if it will be playing. This year when I saw it was playing in Cincinnati, I decided to just take the plunge and make a trip of it. It will be the last Shakespeare play in the canon that I haven't seen and my first time to Cincinnati!" David and Amy Secord are traveling from Vancouver, Canada with friends from Seattle, Washington to Cincinnati for the first time in order to see "The Two Noble Kinsmen". They said "we have been searching for this title across the United States for the past 2 years. We even set up a news alert to tell us if it is being done!" Rob Camm of Santa Rosa, California is "a Shakespeare enthusiast. One of my life goals is to see all of Shakespeare plays performed live. 'Kinsmen' is one of the 4 plays I have never seen performed live... I noticed (Cincinnati Shakespeare) was doing Kinsmen... and decided to make the trip."

CSC's Producing Artistic Director Mr. Phillips says: "it is quite a feat to be able to say that CSC is 'Completing the Canon', meaning that from the company's inception in 1993 through today, we will have produced all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. The entire body of Shakespeare's work has been available to Cincinnati audiences over the last 20 years, which includes audience favorites like 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' to obscure titles like 'The Life and Death of King John' and 'Timon of Athens'."

The following wish CSC congratulations on Completing the Canon with "The Two Noble Kinsmen":

Otto M. Budig, 20TH Anniversary Season Sponsor: "Completing the Canon" is an expression rarely used in the arts world but during the past 20 years, our Cincinnati Shakespeare Company has produced all 38 plays in Shakespeare's Canon. What an extraordinary achievement and all due to a Greater Cincinnati audience that knows in our arts community we are providing the best of the best. Congratulations."

Patrick Flick, Executive Director of The Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA): "STA is so very excited to welcome member company, Cincinnati Shakespeare to the small but determined band of Shakespeare theatres who have successfully completed the canon of Shakespeare's works. Given the financial pressures on Shakespeare theatres to only produce the Bard's more well-known plays (especially comedies), it is indeed not only a reflection of Cincinnati Shakespeare's commitment to the words, wisdom and works of Shakespeare, but also a testament to an all-around well run organization. Cheers to Cincy Shakes! Play on!"

Patrick Spottiswoode, Director Globe Education, Shakespeare's Globe: "Shakespeare is more than the play that is taught in high school. He is more than Julius Caesar, Hamlet or Macbeth. Not many theatre companies in the world can boast of having staged the complete Shakespeare canon for their audiences. How fortunate is Cincinnati to have a company in its community, committed to putting on The Two Noble Kinsmen as well as Twelfth Night, King John as well as King Lear, Measure for Measure as well as A Midsummer Night's Dream and Troilus and Cressida as well as Romeo and Juliet. Warmest congratulations to CSC for making Cincinnati a Shakespeare city."

Mary McCullough- Hudson, CEO of ArtsWave: "My quote is from "Two Noble Kinsmen" Act I sc. 4 --- "To thee no star be dark!" Congratulations to one of the brightest stars in the Queen City Art's firmament on completion of the Canon (& in the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth)."

Councilwomen Yvette Simpson: "Congratulations to the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company as it approaches a milestone that few other theaters in the country have reached. It takes deliberate work and dedication over many years to "Complete the Canon," particularly because of the many - well-known and obscure - works of William Shakespeare. This is a true testament to the Arts in Cincinnati, and we are so very proud of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company as we, together, continually raise the bar for arts in our community."

Roxanne Qualls: "This is quite an achievement for the Company! The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is one of the jewels in the Queen City's crown of great and wonderful arts organizations. It brings a special freshness and energy to all its productions while making the "classics" available and accessible to the audience. Congratulations on completing the Canon-what an achievement!"

Don Tecklenburg, CSC Board President: "It is an amazing accomplishment for the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company to be only the 5th U.S. Company to complete the 38-play canon, and doing so in their 20th year. It means the company has done all of the more obscure and infrequently performed Shakespearean plays. But it has also sent audiences away from plays like "Richard II" last season saying, 'How come this play isn't done more often.'"

For additional information or for interviews with Mr. Phillips, or any member of the company contact Jeanna Vella, Director of Education and Communications as jeanna.vella@cincyshakes.com or 513.381.2273 ext. 3202.

Performances of "The Two Noble Kinsmen" are scheduled from May 2-25, 2014 on Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. Preview performances are on Wednesday April 30 and Thursday May 1 at 7:30pm and tickets are $20. The theater is located at 719 Race Street, downtown Cincinnati, two blocks west of the Aronoff Center. Single ticket prices range from $22-$31 on Thursdays and Sundays and from $26-$35 on Fridays and Saturdays. If available, $14 student rush tickets may be purchased 30 minutes before a show with a valid student ID. Visa, Discover, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Ticketing fees may apply. Discounts are available for students, seniors and groups as well as Enjoy the Arts and AAA members. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at www.cincyshakes.com.

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