Free Shakespeare to Return To Edgerton Park with MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR

Elm Shakespeare will return for its 28th season of free Shakespeare in the park with professional artists from all around the country. This year's production of Merry Wives of Windsor, running August 17 - September 3rd, will be a wild romp guaranteed to make people of all ages laugh.

The show will be performed on the two-story playhouse stage generously gifted by Technolutions CEO Alexander Clark last year. Though structured like an Elizabethan theatre, the Alexander Clark PlayhouseStage sports a very modern aluminum understructure and an eclectic hard-wood design, which highlights the natural beauty of the park. Elm Producing Artistic Director, Rebecca Goodheart, believes the combination of influences will connect both actors and audiences to the past in service of her mission of bringing Shakespeare to the present.

“This is not your grandma's Shakespeare” says Goodheart. In passing the directorial baton for the year to Dawn Monique Williams, Goodheart is enthusiastically entrusting the production to a nationally acclaimed director known for her innovative and contemporary mastery of Shakespeare's classics. As a director, Williams seeks to challenge conventional interpretations of Shakespeare by infusing the plays with contemporary relevance, diversity, and anachronisticelements. Williams will bring a daring new spin to the bard's comedic farce, inviting audiences from all walks of life to participate in an evening of radical anachronism.

Merry Wives of Windsor revolves around the comedic and cunning antics of two housewives, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, as they outwit the knight Sir John Falstaff. The play was written at the request of Queen Elizabeth I, who was fond of the character Falstaff from Shakespeare's earlier plays. Sir John Falstaff, a larger-than-life character known for his wit and bawdy humor, finds himself in Windsor and in need of money. He concocts a plan to seduce Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, believing that he can use their infatuation with him to hisadvantage. He sends identical love letters to both women, thinking that his charms will win their hearts and their fortunes. However, the clever and resourceful wives quickly uncover Falstaff's scheme and decide to teach him a lesson. They team up and, with the help of their mischievous friends, devise a series of pranks and deceptions to humiliate Falstaff and expose his true intentions. Meanwhile, Anne Page is the object of affection for three suitors: Doctor Caius, a physician favored by her mother; Slender, a suitor preferred by her father; and Fenton, the person whom Anne truly loves. Mistress Quickly, a local woman known for her quick wit, assists Anne and Fenton in their pursuit of happiness. She helps orchestrate a meeting between Anne and Fenton, despite the disapproval of her parents and the interference of the other suitors. In the end, true love triumphs as Anne and Fenton overcome the obstacles in their path. Falstaff, on the other hand, is exposed and ridiculed by the women of Windsor, who successfully turn his own plan against him. "The Merry Wives of Windsor" is a lighthearted and comedic farce thatexplores themes of love, deception, and the power of cleverness.

By incorporating what she terms 'radical anachronism' into the production, especially popular modern music, Williams will be exploring new perspectives, challenging established norms, and making the story more relevant and accessible to a diverse audience. This approach falls right in line with Elm's commitment to breaking down barriers and creating a more inclusive and engaging theatrical experience. Says Goodheart: “We believe in the tradition of coming togetherand experiencing what we share as humans illuminated by these plays. We are a complex community – with contradicting perspectives and attributes, just like the plays. And, we believe that if authentically and specifically represented, all of these people – all of these humans – can see themselves and their stories within the plays. What's more... relevance doesn't have to be serious... it can be serious fun and full of joy – I can't wait to party in the park this summer... it's something we all need right now.”

Free Summer Performances will begin 7:30 Thursday, August 17th and run through Sunday, September 3 rd, every day except Mondays in Edgerton Park, which is at 75 Cliff Street, New Haven. Donations are encouraged on a pay what you can basis, with suggested amount of $25 per adult. A limited number of listening-assistance devices and large-print scripts will be available at all performances. Seating is open and picnicking prior to the performance is encouraged.

Join us in the fall for an evening of merriment at our annual gala, Shakespeare By the Sea! This year's gala will take place at the stunning Amarante's Sea Cliff on Wednesday, September 13th at 5:30 PM. Guests can expect a full buffet, oyster bar, specialty cocktails and a silent auction benefiting Elm Shakespeare in the Park and Elm's year-round educational programs. Tickets can be purchased online at Elmshakespeare.org
 

About the Director

Dawn Monique Williams is the Associate Artistic Director of Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley, CA. She was previously the Artistic Associate at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where she directed Merry Wives of Windsor in 2017. Her recent directing credits include Aurora's Bull in a China Shop, Earthrise at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, TiJean and His Brothers, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, The Secretaries (Willamette Week's Top 10 Portland Theatre Productions of 2018), Romeo & Juliet, August Wilson's The Piano Lesson, and Lynn Nottage's By the Way, Meet Stark. She's directed a range of plays including the English language premiere of Gracia Morales' NN12, Othello, Twelfth Night, In the Blood, Steel Magnolias, Children of Eden, The 25 th Annual Spelling Bee, Little Shop of Horrors, Burial at Thebes, Medea, Antigone Project, and La Ronde; international directing credits include Edinburgh Festival Fringe productions of Scapin the Cheat, Anna |UnwinBella Eema, and The Tempest. Dawn was a 2016 Princess Grace Theatre Fellowship recipient, was awarded a TCG Leadership U residency grant, funded by the Mellon Foundation, and was a former Killian Directing Fellow at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. She is an alum of the Drama League Directors Project and holds an MA in Dramatic Literature and an MFA in Directing. Dawn is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
 

About Elm Shakespeare Company:

The Elm Shakespeare Company is a 28-year-old professional theatre company that brings all of New Haven together through classical performance and education programs that ignite a spark in our humanity, enrich people's lives from widely diverse backgrounds, and strengthen the artistic and educational landscape of the Greater New Haven region. It is committed to offering inclusive, accessible, and inspirational theatrical experiences in our parks, classrooms, neighborhoods, and even computers! For more information visit www.ElmShakespeare.org

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