SHAKESPEARE HAPPY HOURS to Present MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR and More

Queens, NY, based Rude Grooms and Portsmouth, NH, based Seven Stages Shakespeare Company launched a new series of online live-stream performances called Shakespeare Happy Hours. The project kicked off on April 1, 2020 with the goal of presenting every play in Shakespeare's canon, starting at the end of Shakespeare's career and working backwards, and is set to be complete on June 26th. The plays are presented every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on YouTube or at shakespearehappyhours.tv in 90-minute renditions performed in real time by actors across the US and UK, allowing the actors to collaborate remotely.

Now in its seventh week, the project is about to hit its halfway point. The rotating ensemble of 40 actors includes artists seen on Broadway, in film and television, and at Off-Broadway and regional theatre venues. This week's selection of plays includes Much Ado About Nothing on Monday, May 11, Merry Wives of Windsor on Wednesday, May 13, and Merchant of Venice on Friday, May 15.

Much Ado About Nothing features Tom Kanji (Shakespeare's Globe) as Benedick, Jenni Jackson (National Theatre, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Shakespeare's Globe) as Beatrice, Alex Hernandez (Public Theater, Sony Pictures Entertainment Bloodshot) as Don Pedro, Drew Broussard (59E59, Boston's Symphony Hall, Seven Stages Shakespeare Company) as Claudio and Ella Mock (Portland Stage Company, Acorn Shakespeare) as Hero.

Merry Wives of Windsor features Elisabeth Ahrens (Rude Grooms) as Mistress Ford, Kathy Somssich (Seven Stages Shakespeare Company, New Hampshire Theatre Project, WSCA Radio) as Mistress Page, Montgomery Sutton (Shakespeare Dallas, Rude Grooms) as Master Ford, Daniel Kemper (Rude Grooms, Atlantic Theatre Company) as Master Page and Jimmy Sears (Seven Stages Shakespeare Company) as Falstaff.

Merchant of Venice features Joel Colodner (Huntington Theatre Company, Guthrie Theatre, New Rep) as Shylock, Josh Innerst (American Shakespeare Center, Utah Shakespeare Festival) as Bassanio, Kara Arena (Rude Grooms, Seven Stages Shakespeare Company) as Portia, Harry Waller (Royal Shakespeare Company) as Antonio, Laura Piccoli (Rude Grooms) as Nerissa and Natasha Magigi (Shakespeare's Globe) as Salerio.

Shakespeare Happy Hours can be viewed live every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5PM EST at shakespearehappyhours.tv or archived directly on the project's website or youtube.com/shakespearehappyhours.

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